DEFIANT Donald Trump raged America "is going to hell" as he riled up his die-hard supporters following his court appearance in New York.
The 76-year-old – frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2024 – has been formally arrested and charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records.
The former US president is accused over alleged hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal in 2016.
He pleaded not guilty to all 34 charges during a historic hearing in aManhattan courtroom on Tuesday – which lasted just under an hour.
The 76-year-old then jetted home to Florida on Trump Force One for a choreographed rally-style appearance at his Mar-a-Lago resort in front of a crowd of cheering fans and family.
Walking out to "God Bless the USA" at the start of the 25-minute speech, Trump lashed out at the judge presiding over his case – calling him "the real criminal".
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He accused Juan Merchan of being a "Trump hating judge with a Trump hating wife and family" – and said the case against him was "an insult to our country".
"The only crime I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," he said.
Trump called for the "ridiculous" case to be "dropped immediately".
And he suggested he lost the 2020 US election unfairly "because our country is going to hell".
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The remarks pivoted to Trump's son Barron at one point as the proud dad said: "Barron will be great someday. He is tall and he's smart."
Supporters wore “Make America Great Again” and “Trump 2024” caps as he spoke in the plush ballroom at the Mar-a-Lago estate.
Trump denies the claim by 44-year-old Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, that they had sex once in 2006.
The alleged affair came a year after he had married wife Melania.
He also denies wrongdoing related to the £104,000 ($130,000) payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen allegedly gave Daniels to keep quiet about the tryst before the 2016 presidential election.
Trump acknowledged reimbursing him, and this is not illegal, but the record of the payment claimed it was for legal fees.
Prosecutors argue this amounts to falsifying business records, with each cheque Trump wrote counted as separate charges.
New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg said he cannot allow "businesses to cover up criminal conduct".
The historic case marks the first time a former president has been criminally charged.
The indictment focused on Trump's reimbursement checks to Cohen – with details of the other charges mostly kept under wraps.
But a separate filing by prosecutors detailed similar schemes Trump allegedly orchestrated to silence two other people who said they had damaging information about him.
Wearing his trademark red tie and dark blue suit, Trump arrived at the court building on Tuesday flanked by a secret service and police motorcade.
Police estimated there were 300 Trump supporters near the court, with about 150 demonstrating against him.
There were scuffles before police separated the groups in a park behind barricades.
Anti-Trump protesters rolled out a sign saying: “Trump lies all the time.” Another said: “Lock him up.”
Trump supporters, meanwhile, waved banners declaring “Trump or Death” and wrapped themselves in American flags.
Judge Merchan banned TV cameras from the court after Trump’s lawyers argued it would create a “circus-like atmosphere”.
During the hearing, after a clerk read out the indictment number, 71543, the former president stayed seated and, in a throaty voice, declared: “Not guilty.”
Earlier, he appeared calm and mostly stared ahead as he and his legal team entered the 15th-floor room of the Manhattan Criminal Courts building.
Known as Part 59, it is the same court where film mogul Harvey Weinstein was put on trial for rape and sexual assault.
Before the hearing, Trump was fingerprinted and processed inside the courthouse — but he didn’t have his mugshot taken.
The hearing was then slightly delayed as his legal team reviewed the indictment.
A total of 24 court security officers and police plus four Secret Service agents stood guard.
Five sketch artists sat in the jury box, furiously trying to capture the unprecedented scene.
As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras – but did not stop to speak to reporters.
Inside the court, Trump sat with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side, staring straight ahead.
During the hearing, Trump's lawyer Todd Blanche said Trump is "absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening in the courtroom".
Trump's legal team plan file a motion to dismiss the case against him, one of his lawyers added.
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His next hearing is due to be held on December 4.
If found guilty he could face jail, although that is thought to be unlikely.
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