Trump pleads not guilty to conspiracy charges to overturn 2020 election results

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Former US President Donald Trump asserted his innocence of charges related to conspiring against American institutions, just two days after being accused of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

Appearing before a federal court in Washington, the Republican billionaire personally responded that he is not guilty when Judge Maxine Opadya read the charges and their associated maximum prison sentences.

Trump condemned it as a "very sad day" for the United States, considering himself a victim of "political persecution."

The 45-page indictment, published on Tuesday, specifically points to a "criminal scheme" and accuses him of undermining the foundations of American democracy by attempting to alter the vote count of more than 150 million Americans.

In contrast, the two previous criminal lawsuits filed against him this year, related to charges of fraud tied to hush money payments to a pornographic actress and endangering national security through mishandling classified documents, are related to the period before and after his presidency.

The court where Trump was charged is located near the Capitol, the headquarters of the US Congress that was stormed by hundreds of his supporters on January 6, 2021, to prevent the certification of his Democratic rival Joe Biden's victory.

- "Fair trial" -

Judge Maxine Opadya stated, "I can assure everyone that there will be a fair and impartial trial."

Earlier on Thursday, Trump accused his successor and Democratic rival Joe Biden of being behind the new lawsuits to keep him out of the 2024 presidential race.

He wrote on his "Truth Social" platform that he is being pursued because of his "challenge to the corrupt, fraudulent, and stolen elections."

A protester outside the courtroom held a sign that read, "Presidents are not kings," referring to a statement made by Judge Tanya Chutkan in November 2021 when she refused Trump's request to withhold information about his actions during the Capitol riot.

Trump wrote earlier, "Democrats don't want me to run against them; otherwise, they wouldn't use the judiciary as an unprecedented weapon in this manner."

Meanwhile, Biden is on vacation in Delaware on the east coast and told CNN that he would not be following the reports of his potential opponent's appearance in the 2024 elections.

Since dawn, around a hundred journalists lined up to enter the courtroom, while security barriers were set up around the building and the nearby Capitol.

The Washington DC police told AFP that more than six law enforcement agencies and security agencies were involved in securing the session.

Special investigator Jack Smith, who oversaw the investigation on Tuesday, called for a "swift trial," saying that it could be conducted amidst the presidential campaign.

Trump, 77, is still the frontrunner in the Republican party's primaries, and the ramifications of these charges on his nomination have not yet been clarified.

Despite facing multiple legal challenges, the billionaire Republican still holds a significant portion of loyalty within his party. He dominates the opinion polls for securing the Republican nomination for the presidential elections, widening the gap with his competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has faced obstacles since the beginning of his campaign.