THE SQUIZ
“SURREAL” is how former US President Donald Trump saw the events of the last few hours, posting to his Truth Social platform ahead of his arrest and arraignment (the court hearing when someone is formally presented with the charges against them) after his historic indictment last week (aka being presented with formal written accusations that a crime has been committed). The first public details about the specific claims have been released – Trump is up on 34 felony charges (aka crimes punishable by a prison term of one year or more) relating to falsifying business records as part of hush money payments made to 2 women in 2016. He has entered a plea of not guilty. TV cameras weren’t allowed to broadcast proceedings, but 5 still photographers were allowed in, and there are glimpses of him in the corridors of the Manhattan Courthouse looking stony-faced.

BEFORE WE GO ON, WHO’S WHO IN THIS ZOO? 
Well, Trump, but you know who he is. He’s being prosecuted by…

• Alvin Bragg – Manhattan’s district attorney (aka the guy in charge of bringing criminal cases in New York City) with a cracking name. The first black district attorney for the city is also a Democrat who has already scored points against other high-profile Trump allies. In a press release, he says he’s pursuing Trump because “Manhattan is home to the country’s most significant business market. We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct.” And Bragg will rely on testimony from his star witness, who is…

• Michael Cohen – the fixer who flipped. Cohen was Trump’s lawyer and once said he’d “take a bullet” for him. Then, after 12 years of bullet-taking, Cohen was charged and pleaded guilty in 2018 to bank fraud, tax fraud, and campaign finance violations, which directly incriminated Trump. Cohen is literally a convicted criminal, so he can expect a tough grilling from…

• Joe Tacopina – Trump’s new personal lawyer is a big-talking, Brooklyn-born attorney known for his celebrity clients and for, ahem, owning an Italian soccer team… Tacopina has also been the public face of the pushback against Trump’s indictment, claiming it’s “political persecution”. You can expect plenty more of that from Trump’s legal team, which also includes heavy-hitter Todd Blanche. Experts reckon Trump’s legal defence will centre on attacking the legal/political system trying to silence him.

SO WHERE TO NEXT?
Now that Trump has been arraigned, he’s expected to give a speech in Florida mid-today our time. After that, the criminal case will enter a pre-trial limbo where Trump’s team is expected to cause delays whenever possible. Meanwhile, Trump will continue his campaign for the 2024 presidential election, where he’s far and away the leading candidate for the Republican nomination. But as for this trial, there’s a scenario where it happens in the middle of the presidential election campaign, which would be absolutely bananas. Then again, spectacle is Trump’s speciality…