Donald Trump pleads not guilty over election conspiracy charges

In an unprecedented third arrest, Donald Trump entered a plea to election interference charges that could see him sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Donald Trump has been arrested for the third time in four months and pleaded not guilty to criminal charges over his bid to cling to power after his 2020 election defeat.

Speaking after the historic court hearing in Washington DC, the former president said it was a “very sad day for America”.

He accused President Joe Biden’s administration of a “persecution of a political opponent”, with Mr Trump the overwhelming frontrunner to claim the Republican nomination and set up a presidential election rematch next year.

“This was never supposed to happen in America,” Mr Trump told reporters.

“If you can’t beat him, you persecute him or you prosecute him. We can’t let this happen in America.”

Moments earlier, he entered his plea and was granted bail at a federal courthouse.

During the half-hour hearing, Judge Moxila Upadhyaya told Mr Trump that he faced 55 years of prison time if convicted of the four charges brought against him by special counsel Jack Smith.

After being arrested and fingerprinted, Mr Trump barely spoke in court except to enter his plea and acknowledge his bail conditions.

But he was reported to have stared at Mr Smith – who he has berated as a “deranged” prosecutor – as they sat barely five metres apart.

Donald Trump lands to face court. Picture: Supplied

Donald Trump arrives in Virginia to be arraigned on four felony counts in federal court. Picture: AFP

The arrest is Trump’s third in just four months. Picture: AFP

Trump waves to supporters on his way to the E. Barrett Prettyman US Courthouse in Washington, DC. Picture: AFP

Mr Smith and his team are seeking a speedy trial ahead of next year’s potential election rematch between Mr Trump and President Joe Biden.

Ms Upadhyaya set the next hearing for August 28 – five days after the first debate for Republican presidential candidates, although Mr Trump has flagged skipping the event.

The former president, in a social media post before he arrived at the court, claimed he was being arrested “for having challenged a corrupt, rigged and stolen election”.

“It is a great honor, because I am being arrested for you,” he told his supporters.

But on the eve of his arrest in the bombshell case, two of the most senior members of his administration blasted his effort to overturn the result, which has now resulted in four charges laid by special counsel Jack Smith.

The explosive 45-page indictment, revealed earlier this week, showed Mr Trump was accused of orchestrating a wide-ranging conspiracy to stay in power despite knowing the 2020 result was not tainted by fraud as he publicly claimed.

It contained evidence from notes taken by vice president Mike Pence as Mr Trump tried to force him to stop the certification of Mr Biden’s victory on January 6, 2021, sparking a violent invasion of the US Capitol building.

Mr Pence repeatedly rebuffed the president’s pressure, with Mr Trump at one point admonishing him for being “too honest”.

Speaking after charges were laid, Mr Pence attacked Mr Trump’s “gaggle of crackpot lawyers”, several of whom are also expected to be indicted by Mr Smith.

“I had no right to overturn the election … On that day, the president asked me to choose between him and the constitution, and I chose the constitution, and I always will,” he said.

“History will hold Donald Trump accountable for his reckless words and actions.”

Mr Trump is expected to argue his constitutional right to free speech protected his statements about election fraud, and that he was acting on the advice of his lawyers.

Donald Trump’s supporters gather outside the court in Washington DC. Picture Chip Somodevilla (Getty Images)

Donald Trump’s supporters prepare to storm the US Capitol on January 6. Picture: Samuel Corum (Getty Images)

But his attorney general Bill Barr declared Mr Trump “knew well he lost the election”.

He described his actions detailed in the indictment as “nauseating” and “despicable”.

“We’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg on this … I think there is a lot more to come, and I think they have a lot more evidence as to President Trump’s state of mind,” Mr Barr told CNN.

“Someone who engaged in that kind of bullying about a process that is fundamental to our system and to our self-government shouldn’t be anywhere near the Oval Office.”

Speaking outside court, Alina Habba – a member of Mr Trump’s legal team – claimed the case against him was “election interference at its finest”.

But she appeared to contradict his defence about believing the election result was tainted, saying: “Everybody was made aware that he lost the election, but that doesn’t mean that was the only advice he was given.”

Mr Trump’s lawyer John Lauro had earlier said the trial would likely last “many, many months”, with more than 100 witnesses to be called.

“What we want is a just trial, not simply a speedy trial,” he said.

The twice-impeached Mr Trump became the first president to face criminal charges earlier this year, when he was arraigned over hush money paid to a porn star who claimed to have slept with him.

Special counsel Jack Smith. Picture: Drew Angerer (Getty Images)

That was followed by federal charges laid by Mr Smith – who was appointed by the Biden administration to independently handle the cases against Mr Trump – over the former president’s handling of classified files after leaving the White House.

Charges are also expected to be laid within weeks by prosecutors in Georgia, who have also been investigating Mr Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat in that state.

In a post on his social media platform prior to his court appearance in Washington DC, the former president hinted at that case, saying: “I need one more indictment to ensure my election.”

He is the overwhelming frontrunner to claim the Republican nomination, and a New York Times poll earlier this week had him tied with Mr Biden at 43 per cent for the 2024 election.

Mr Biden, who is on holiday in Delaware, told reporters he would not be following his predecessor’s court appearance.