Former U.S. President Donald Trump arrived at the Manhattan courthouse before 1:30 pm on Tuesday for his arraignment in the Stormy Daniel hush-money case.
The former President was arrested after surrendering himself to court, marking the beginning of a process that will end with a historic hearing tonight.
Once he entered the building he was officially under arrest.
Trump looked defiant as he left Trump Tower and again a few minutes later when he arrived at court, UK Mirror reports. The ex-President raised a pumped fist and stared straight at the waiting cameras at Trump Tower, then minutes later waved outside the court.
Tension threatened to spill over this afternoon outside the Criminal Court in Manhattan, New York, court as pro and anti-Trump demonstrators clashed in ugly scenes with the NYPD forced to step in to separate the two sides outside the Criminal Court in Manhattan.
In an unprecedented case, Mr Trump faces charges including at least one felony offence related to hush money payments to women during his 2016 campaign.
At the centre of the case is porn star Ms Daniels, who it is claimed received a $130,000 (£105,000) payment from Mr Trump's lawyers in 2016, in exchange for her silence over an affair a decade earlier.
“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!” Trump posted to his Truth Social network during the drive.
Trump was indicted Thursday by a Manhattan grand jury but the charges have remained under seal.
The ex-president spent the day huddled in his 26th-floor office in Trump Tower with aides, CNN said.