NEW YORK, April 4, 2023 (BSS/AFP) - Donald Trump will make an unprecedented

appearance before a New York judge Tuesday to answer criminal charges that
threaten to throw the 2024 White House race into turmoil.

Trump is the first sitting or former American president to be criminally
indicted -- a historic development that has propelled the United States into
uncharted political waters.

Amid tight security in Manhattan -- and a global media frenzy -- the 76-year-
old will learn at his arraignment precisely what charges he faces over hush
money paid to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election that brought him to
power.

The twice-impeached Republican claims he is the victim of "political
persecution" -- but is also using the case to energize his support base and
raise millions of dollars for his bid to reclaim the White House next year.

Trump is expected to leave his skyscraper on Fifth Avenue late morning to
make the six-mile journey to the Manhattan court complex where he will
surrender to authorities.

Thousands of police, and unknown numbers of Trump supporters and detractors,
will be on the streets for the journey that will be carried live on US
networks -- although a judge ruled Monday night that video cameras would not
be allowed inside the courtroom, US media reported.

Trump is likely to undergo the standard booking procedure of being
fingerprinted -- and potentially photographed, which would result in an all-
time famous mug shot.

But there is no precedent for a former president's surrender to court
authorities and it remains to be seen whether the famously unpredictable
Trump will follow procedure.

A "perp walk" -- in which a defendant is escorted in handcuffs past media
cameras -- is unlikely for an ex-president under US Secret Service
protection.

What is certain is that Trump's lawyers have said their client will plead not
guilty to all charges during the court hearing, scheduled to start at 2:15 pm
(1815 GMT).

About 30 counts, including at least one felony, are expected to be unsealed
during the arraignment, which is only likely to last around 15 minutes.

Afterward, Trump is due to return straight to Florida, where he plans to
deliver an evening speech.

- Porn actress -

Trump was indicted last week by a grand jury in the case brought by Manhattan
District Attorney Alvin Bragg, an elected Democrat.

The charges revolve around the investigation of $130,000 paid to adult film
actress Stormy Daniels just days before Trump's election win.

Trump's former lawyer and aide Michael Cohen, who has since turned against
his ex-boss, says he arranged the payment to Daniels in exchange for her
silence about a tryst she says she had with Trump in 2006.

Trump, whose third wife Melania had recently given birth at the time, denies
the affair.

Legal experts have suggested that if not properly accounted for, the payment
could result in charges for falsifying business records, possibly for the
purpose of covering up a campaign finance violation.

Late Monday, Trump on his Truth Social platform accused Bragg of "illegally"
leaking details of the indictment, after Yahoo News reported that the charges
included 34 counts related to falsifying business records.

Trump is facing a series of separate criminal investigations at the state and
federal level that could result in further -- more serious -- charges between
now and election day.

They include his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state of
Georgia, his handling of classified documents, and his possible involvement
in the storming of the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.

Republicans have largely rallied around Trump, including his rival in the
party's presidential primary, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who called the
indictment "un-American."

President Joe Biden, mindful anything he might say could fuel Trump's claim
of a politically "weaponized" judicial system, is one of the few Democrats
holding back over the indictment of his rival.

Asked Monday whether he had faith in the legal system, Biden simply replied,
"Yes."