Donald Trump indictment live: Former US president booked on 13 ...

25 Aug 2023
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You can also catch up on the latest from the ABC's Brad Ryan in Atlanta, Georgia ????

If Trump is found guilty, can he still be president?

If Donald Trump were to eventually be found guilty, either of these charges or the other charges he is facing in other states, and went on to win the election next year, would he actually be eligible to take office in January 2025?

- Jim

The simple answer is he certainly would.

There are only three conditions for becoming president: you must be a natural born citizen of the US, have been resident for at least 14 years, and be at least 35 years-old.

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Tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy who was a crowd-pleaser at the first GOP primary debate would make the cut by three years — he's 38.

Donald Trump posts to Twitter for first time since 2021

For the first time in two years Donald Trump has posted to his account on X, formerly known as Twitter.

The post includes his mugshot from earlier today and a link to his website.

The website then asks for donations to his political campaign.

Trump was originally kicked off X in January 2021 following tweets the social media company said incited violence.

When Elon Musk bought the platform last year, he reinstated Trump.

But the former US president said he would stick with his new platform Truth Social, the app developed by his Trump Media and Technology Group startup.

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But, looks like he's back.

How this case differs to the others Donald Trump is already facing

Donald Trump made history when he became the first-ever former US president to be charged with criminal offences.

But that unprecedented moment was soon followed up with a second, third, and now a fourth indictment.

Two of the cases are being pursued by federal prosecutors, while the other two – including the Georgia charges – are at a state level.

And while there's been quite a bit of speculation around how Trump could pardon himself or shut down the federal probes, if he won back the White House, he wouldn't face that option here.

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Another big difference is the scale of the allegations in Georgia, where the former president is one of 19 people charged under the state’s racketeering laws.

Then there’s the level of access the media has to Fulton County’s courts.

Cameras were allowed in to capture the moment the indictment was handed up to a judge last week, and the arraignment – and possibly the trial – could also be broadcast live.

Key Event

Donald Trump is airborne again

Donald Trump's plane has taken off from Atlanta and he’s now headed back to the New Jersey property and golf course where he spends much of the summer months.

It’s the latest dramatic moment in what has been an incredible few months, with the former president now charged in four separate criminal cases.

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Key Event

Here is Donald Trump's mugshot
(Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Donald Trump's mugshot taken inside the Fulton County Jail in Georgia has been released.

This picture will become one of the defining images of this historic chapter in US politics.

Donald Trump's plane is about to leave Atlanta

During his short stop at Fulton County Jail, the former US president was given the inmate number P01135809, according to jail records.

He spent about 20 minutes inside the jailhouse, where authorities had said they would take his mugshot.

(Reuters)(Reuters)

Key Event

Trump is addressing media from the airport after leaving Fulton County Jail

Trump is speaking to the media on the tarmac. 

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"I believe it is a very sad day for America which should never happen," he says.

He stresses he has "done nothing wrong".

Key Event

Trump arrives back at Atlanta airport

Trump's motorcade has arrived back at the airport.

It is currently on the tarmac by Trump Force One.

He arrived just after 8pm local time.

Key Event

Trump has been booked

As the motorcade rolls back towards Atlanta airport jail records confirm Donald Trump has been booked on 13 charges.

The charges are:

Violation of Georgia Rico (Racketeer Influenced And Corrupt Organisations)Solicitation of Violation of Oath by Public OfficerConspiracy to Commit Impersonating a Public OfficerConspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First DegreeConspiracy to Commit False Statements and WritingsConspiracy to Commit Filing False DocumentsConspiracy to Commit Forgery in the First DegreeConspiracy to  Commit False Statements and WritingsFiling False DocumentsSolicitation of Violation of Oath by Public OfficerFalse Statements and WritingsSolicitation of Violation of Oath by Public OfficerFalse Statements and Writings

There are more than one charge for some of the types of offences.

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The records put his height at 6’3” (1.92m) and his weight at 215lbs (97.5kg).

The former US president’s hair colour, if you were wondering, is described as "blond or strawberry".

(Fulton County Sheriff's Office)

Key Event

Trump inside Fulton County Jail

Donald Trump has now arrived at Fulton County Jail to be booked in a sprawling case on 13 charges including racketeering, making false statements and solicitation of the violation of oath by a public officer.

Choppers are in the air, but an awning obscures the entrance where we assume the former president has now entered the building.

He’ll now, we expect, be fingerprinted and have his mugshot taken. And if the experience of the other co-defendants is anything to go by, it won’t be too long before that is made public.

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The vehicle carrying former president Donald Trump (right) arrives at the Fulton County Jail(AP: Alex Brandon)

Key Event

Donald Trump has arrived at the Atlanta Jail
(ABC News Channel)

Donald Trump's motorcade has now arrived at the Fulton County Jail for what will be yet another historic moment in his post-presidency.

Key Event

The mood here has become noticeably more tense in the last 10 minutes or so
(ABC News: Brad Ryan)

We had several black cars come past, motorcade style, and a black helicopter is circling overhead.

People are lining the barricades, expecting Trump’s arrival soon.

At one point, a group of them started chanting "lock Fani up", referring to the local prosecutor, Fani Willis.

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Donald Trump is flanked by security as he prepares to surrender to police

We're expecting the former president to arrive at Fulton County Jail shortly.

(Reuters)(Reuters)

Key Event

Donald Trump's motorcade rolls towards Georgia jail

Donald Trump’s now heading towards the Fulton County Jail to surrender in what’s his fourth criminal indictment.

We’ve seen this movie a few times before this year, but the images of a former president heading to be booked are still shocking.

Since a bond has already been negotiated ahead of his appearance for $US200,000 ($310,000), proceedings at the jail are expected to be quick, in the order of 20 minutes all up.

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Who has surrendered so far

There are 18 other co-defendants in the 2020 Georgia election subversion case.

We know that 11 have so far surrendered to Fulton County Sheriff's Office.

The order of mugshots is:

Attorney Sidney Powell, who played a leading role in promoting Trump's false fraud claimsTrump campaign attorney Kenneth Chesebro, indicted for allegedly helping to devise a plan to submit fake slates of electors for Trump to obstruct the congressional certificationFormer Georgia Republican party leader Cathy LathamFormer Georgia Republican party leader David ShaferOne time attorney for Trump Jenna EllisRay Smith, a lawyer who previously represented Trump in GeorgiaHarrison Floyd, leader of Black Voices for TrumpScott Hall, Republican poll watcherRudy Giuliani, Trump's personal lawyer and former New York MayorJohn Eastman, former lawyer to TrumpMark Meadows, former Whitehouse chief of staff 

Some defendants have attempted to avoid turning themselves in, such as former justice department official Jeffrey Clark.

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The defendants have until Friday at Noon to turn themselves in.

Trump claims arrest will be televised

In an email to supporters timed to coincide with his arrival in Atlanta, Donald Trump has claimed proceedings today at Fulton County Jail will be broadcast.

"A judge has ruled that cameras may be allowed inside the jail so that my sham arrest can be televised for the entire world to see," he writes in the fundraising mail.

While Georgia courts, unlike federal courts, do allow cameras into trials, it's not at all clear that we’ll see images of his booking today.

For the co-defendants in the Atlanta election interference case who have turned themselves in so far, only a mugshot has been made public following the booking.

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The ABC's North America bureau chief Jade Macmillan has more on what we can expect ????

Key Event

Trump has touched down in Atlanta
(Reuters)

Donald Trump has arrived in Atlanta from Newark airport.

(Reuters)

He's expected to arrive at the Fulton County Sheriff's Office at about 9:30am AEST. 

US representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has arrived at Fulton County Jail

She spoke to the media near the entrance of the building.

We're expecting the former US president to turn himself in to be processed within the next hour.

(ABC News: Brad Ryan)
It's sweltering in Atlanta, but that hasn't stopped supporters from turning out

It's been a long, hot day for many of the people gathered in the sunshine outside the Fulton County Jail.

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Temperatures in Atlanta have been hovering above 30C since early in the morning.

One man is being attended to by officers from the sheriff’s department after passing out on the grass.

(ABC News" Brad Ryan)

People are using protest signs to fan him down.

It's otherwise been uneventful here outside the jail, as supporters and protesters wait for Mr Trump’s arrival and reporters file updates to media outlets around the world.

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