Historic appearance: Donald Trump addressed the American nation at Mar-a-Lago

PUT À DAY

Back at his residence in Florida, Donald Trump on Tuesday called his earlier formal indictment in a New York court an “insult to the nation” on a historic day in a fractured America . 

“The only crime I have committed is bravely defending our nation against those who seek to destroy it,” the former US president assured his supporters, who sported “no crime” ties and hats. “Trump 2024”.

“I never imagined this possible in America”, he launched from the large reception room of his luxurious residence in Mar-a-Lago, the same room in which he announced his third candidacy for the White House on November 15.

A few hours earlier in Manhattan, the 76-year-old former Republican president pleaded not guilty to falsification of accounting documents during an unprecedented criminal hearing, which aroused passions in the country.

In a crowded Manhattan courtroom, the Republican appeared grave-looking, visibly tense.

Leaving free without judicial review, Donald Trump is now trying everything to avoid the ordeal of a trial in January 2024, only a few months before the presidential election in which he is a candidate.

“Lie”

The first president in US history to suffer such a fate, he is accused of “orchestrated” a series of payments to cover up three embarrassing cases before the November 2016 election.

A 'Trump Tower' doorman, who claimed to have information about a child out of wedlock, was awarded $30,000 to remain silent; a woman who posed as a former mistress was paid $150,000 to keep a low profile; and especially the porn actress Stormy Daniels, Stephanie Clifford of her real name, and who collaborated with justice for five years, also had to keep quiet.

Donald Trump has “stopped lying “, thundered the Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg by denouncing, after five years of investigation of his services, the “serious criminal conduct” of the New York businessman.

Denouncing an indictment “sad” and “all done”, one of the lawyers of the former head of state, Todd Blanche, promised to fight.

“Election interference”

“It's massive electoral interference,” Donald Trump denounced to his supporters in Florida on Tuesday evening, strongly criticizing the New York prosecutor who is an elected Democrat.

The billionaire spoke at length about each of the other investigations he faces, from his lobbying election officials in Georgia to handling his White House records, each time lambasting “fraudulent” investigations.

During his rambling speech of about twenty minutes, the former tenant of the White House also, as usual, mentioned his accusations of “fraud” in the presidential election of 2020, replaying a well-known score, to which millions of his supporters still adhere.

A country plunged into violence and criminality, a risk of “World War III”, a dollar which “collapses”… Donald Trump has no had no words harsh enough to denounce the record of his successor, Democrat Joe Biden. His speech on Tuesday evening also gave the impression of a campaign meeting more than a defense speech.

Joe Biden remained very discreet in the face of the indictment of his rival Republican, this appearance not being “a priority” according to White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.

The American president, who has not officially launched his campaign, knows that any comment risks feeding the Republican billionaire's interference argument.