Donald Trump may be a billionaire and former president, but he will be treated like any other suspected criminal if he is charged with hush money to a porn star on Tuesday.
Trump will face the indignity of being booked and processed, then fingerprinted and mugshot taken before appearing before a judge in a court hearing expected at 2:15 p.m.
While the usual protocols apply, no former US president has ever been charged with a crime in the US – and there are still many elements that are unprecedented. Some questions remain unanswered: Will his Secret Service be by his side all the time? Where is Trump processed? Will he be subjected to a perp walk?
Lawyers for the former president hope that he will be spared the theatrical tricks that some suspects have to undertake. It’s unlikely he’ll be handcuffed during the trial, and a perpetrator’s walk could be risky — especially since violent protests could take place outside the Manhattan courthouse where he’s set to appear.
But Trump loves publicity — and he knows that powerful images of his arrest will resonate deeply with his supporters. Trump may think photos of him in chains will cement his reputation as a political martyr — and help him get re-elected as president in 2024.
Donald Trump flies to New York on Monday before being booked and processed at the district attorney’s office and will appear in court on Tuesday in charges of the Stormy Daniels charge
A long list of bureaus will meet on Friday to map out how Trump’s surrender will proceed. Officials from the NYPD, US Secret Service, US Marshals and New York State court officials are all involved in the discussions.
Trump, who is currently at his Mar-a-Lago resort, is expected to fly from Florida to a New York airport on Monday before surrendering on Tuesday.
The former president was able to travel in his newly refurbished Boeing 757 ‘Trump Force One’. But given the security concerns and the detailed planning required, law enforcement may want him to fly in a government jet accompanied by US Marshals.
As a former president, Trump is entitled to a personal security detail from the Secret Service for the rest of his life. His Secret Service agents travel with him to New York.
Trump is expected to fly into LaGuardia Airport. From the airport, he is expected to travel to the 58-story Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan, where he will spend the night.
Tuesday morning he will likely travel directly to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to be booked and processed. There’s also a chance that Trump will be booked at a New York police station, though that’s less likely due to logistics. The district attorney’s office is better equipped to handle a case of this magnitude.
He will travel to the location in an entourage with his Secret Service and likely a law enforcement convoy.
Trump can travel to New York in his newly refurbished ‘Trump Force One’ Boeing 757 or fly in a government jet
After arriving in New York, Trump will be escorted by his Secret Service to a booking facility in Manhattan. Pictured: Trump’s motorcade leaves Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach and heads to Mar A Lago on March 23
Several New York law enforcement agencies are drafting detailed plans to facilitate Donald Trump’s surrender, with protests expected when he appears in court on Tuesday
Once at the booking facility, Trump will undergo the same process as any other suspected crook to progress through the early stages of New York’s criminal justice system.
It is likely that he will have to hand over personal items first to keep them safe. These can be objects such as a wristwatch or his mobile phone. Trump will provide personal information such as his name and date of birth.
His fingerprints are taken and he poses for a police photo. NYPD policy prohibits the public release of police photos, even though they have been leaked in the past. Trump might even try to release the photo himself – as a symbol of the persecution he claims to face.
The key question in this part of the process is whether Trump will be accompanied by his Secret Service operative. Defendants are usually tried without their lawyers present, but it’s not clear what the rules are around Secret Service agents. This will be one of the questions law enforcement officers will answer as they plan the process.
In total, the booking process is expected to take approximately three hours. Officials will want to get it done quickly because of the circus surrounding the indictment.
After that, Trump will go to court for his first appearance. The indictment will be unsealed and the world will hear what charges the former president has decided according to the grand jury.
Security around courthouses in Manhattan is being stepped up ahead of protests over the decision to indict Trump
Trump will appear in court Tuesday after a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict the former president for paying hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels
The Manhattan Supreme Court is the likely location. It is well equipped for high-profile cases and gives law enforcement the best chance to install measures – including a security perimeter – that minimize the chance of unwanted problems such as violence.
Trump is unlikely to be a perpetrator who walked into the building. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg will want to avoid exacerbating the backlash he faces for bringing the case to court. But it could be Trump who wants to turn the trial into a show.
Once in court, Trump will appear before a judge and will be presented with the grand jury-determined charges. Trump will deny the allegations.
The judge is expected to be Juan Merchan, who previously presided over the Trump Organization’s fraud trial, where the family business was fined $1.2 million on a series of charges.
Out-of-court protests are likely — from Trump supporters and opponents alike. Law enforcement agencies are drawing up detailed plans to minimize chaos. All uniformed members of the New York Police Department must be “prepared for deployment.”
A media circus of hundreds of journalists and photographers is also inevitable.