Trump speaks out on charges in first speech after arraignment

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - In his first remarks following his arraignment Tuesday in a Manhattan court room, former US President Donald Trump said the only crime he has ever committed is "fearlessly" defending the US and a "fake case" was brought against him to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election.

"I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Trump told his supporters in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, "The only crime I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it."

"This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election — and it should be dropped immediately," he said.

"Our justice system has become lawless," Trump said, adding "they're using it now -- in addition to everything else -- to win elections."

"They came up with a new one...they're looking at me through the Espionage Act...of 1917, where the penalty is death," he continued.

Trump later accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of being a "criminal."

"The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information for which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum he should resign," he said.

On the Georgia presidential election probe, Trump said: "In the wings they've got a local racist Democrat district attorney in Atlanta who is doing everything in her power to indict me over an absolutely perfect phone call."

Trump pleaded not guilty Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan courtroom and left the courthouse after hearing the charges to return to Florida.

The judge overseeing Trump's criminal case has set the next in-person hearing for Dec. 4.