Trump makes initial court appearance on federal election charges

WASHINGTON, US - AUGUST 3, 2023: Former US President Donald Trump appeared in federal court Thursday to be arraigned on four criminal charges related to his alleged efforts to reverse his 2020 election loss. Trump is slated to be processed by law enforcement and then arraigned by District Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse in Washington, D.C. He is expected to plead not guilty and be released. Security has been heightened around the courthouse and nearby on Capitol Hill where hundreds of Trump's supporters rioted Jan. 6, 2021, occupying the federal legislature for the first time since the War of 1812. "These claims were false and the Defendant knew that they were false. But the Defendant repeated and widely disseminated them anyway--to make his knowingly false claims appear legitimate, create an intense national atmosphere of mistrust and anger, and erode public faith in the administration of the election," it added. The 45-page indictment charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights. Six others are listed as co-conspirators but are not named. The second and third charges -- conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding -- are related to efforts to prevent the certification of Electoral College votes. (Footage by Lokman Vural Elibol /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)