Former President Donald Trump expressed sadness for the United States after his arraignment in Washington, D.C., where he pleaded not guilty.
Trump arrived in Washington on Thursday afternoon, appearing before a magistrate judge in regards to indictment charges brought forth by Special Counsel Jack Smith for a third time. A federal grand jury indicted Trump on Tuesday on four counts — conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiring against rights.
After he had pleaded not guilty, Trump made his way to Ronald Reagan National Airport before going to Bedminster, New Jersey.
“It’s a very sad day for America,” Trump said from the airport, CBS News reported. “And it was also very sad driving through Washington, D.C., and seeing the filth and the decay and all of the broken buildings and walls and the graffiti. This is not the place that I love. It’s a very sad thing to see.”
Trump has pleaded not guilty and is now hearing the conditions of his release. Judge says he must not commit any crimes.
— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) August 3, 2023
As Trump was inside the courthouse being arraigned, crowds of people were gathering outside. Some came to protest the newest charges and some gathered to celebrate the latest charges filed against Trump.
Comedian Jason Scoops told the IJR that “regardless of what you feel politically, charging a former president is insane.”
“Let’s say you’re a Democrat and you hate the Republicans, charge the Republicans! But then, there will be a Republican in office and there will be a Democrat, charge the Democrat. So, I just think it’s insane,” Scoops told IJR.
Nicky Sundt told IJR he was at the Capitol on Jan. 6 and had been counter-protesting with “three very provocative signs,” which ended up being taken away and ripped up.
“There’s that personal kind of level of satisfaction about having the ring leader of all of that indicted,” Sundt told IJR.
Sundt said that “more importantly” Trump should “suffer the consequences of what he did and that he not be president again.”
Another person called Chris showed up outside the courthouse with the hopes of seeing Trump.
“It’s odd timing, but it happens, I guess,” Chris told IJR, referring to the recent bombshells brought forth by Devon Archer, surrounding President Joe Biden’s involvement in Hunter Biden’s business dealings and with his business partners.
Chris expressed his opinion that Trump did not “incite an insurrection,” adding that he thought Trump had nothing to do with what happened on Jan. 6.
Another person, Eric Payne, told IJR he and his son were touring the area and they had passed by and saw this was happening outside of the courthouse.
“I’m glad they are trying to figure out what happened,” Payne said. “I think he did all of the things they say. I think they got a lot of evidence before they indicted him.”
Trump is set to appear in court on Aug. 28. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan will preside, according to The Hill.