By Aditi Sangal, Adrienne Vogt, Mike Hayes, Tori B. Powell, Kaanita Iyer, Amir Vera and Maureen Chowdhury, CNN
From CNN's Brian Rokus
Former President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social as he was en route to the Manhattan district attorney's office and courthouse ahead of his arraignment, writing:
“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”
Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Manhattan district attorney's office in lower Manhattan, where he is under arrest and in police custody before his upcoming arraignment.
Soon, Trump is expected to be brought to a courtroom, where he will be arraigned.
Here's a look at the key players involved in this unprecedented moment in US history:
From CNN staff
Donald Trump is in police custody at the Manhattan district attorney's office ahead of his arraignment in court today where he will officially become the first current or former US president in history to face criminal charges.
Although many details around his arraignment in New York are still unclear, this is what we know about how the rest of the events are expected to go:
From CNN's Jeremy Herb
Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the district attorney's office in lower Manhattan, where he is under arrest and in police custody before his upcoming arraignment.
Trump is expected to be fingerprinted as part of the arrest, though it's still unclear whether his mugshot will be taken. He will next be brought to a courtroom, where he will be arraigned — an appearance that is expected to be quick and routine but represents a surreal and historic moment in US history.
Trump is not expected to be handcuffed following his arrest, as he will remain under constant law enforcement protection.
Former President Donald Trump is arriving at the Manhattan district attorney’s office where he is expected to surrender before arraignment on a grand jury indictment.
Watch here:
From CNN's Kaitlan Collins
As his legal team navigated the logistics of his arraignment, former President Donald Trump privately expressed an interest in having his mugshot taken, even as others said it was unlikely that would ultimately happen when he’s inside the Manhattan Criminal Court building, according to two sources.
Trump and his team have viewed today’s legal proceeding through the lens of a way to benefit his 2024 campaign. They have bragged about fundraising and deliberated about merchandise options. A picture of the former president’s booking was seen as a benefit to some for that.
From CNN's Jeff Zeleny
As he prepares to leave his namesake Trump Tower any minute, it’s not just the Manhattan Criminal Court that is on Donald Trump’s mind today.
His conversations with political advisers and his legal team this morning have also included a pending case in Georgia and two federal probes in Washington — all of which will be a soundtrack of his 2024 campaign.
These cases, taken together, could dominate the rest of the primary season.
“It will be a constant rallying cry for his supporters,” a Trump political adviser tells CNN.
While he has trumpeted the short term political benefit from the indictment — repeatedly touting claims of $8 million raised in the last four days — Trump also has expressed a sense of apprehension about what’s to come this afternoon and beyond — the legal system is something he holds far less control over than the political arena.
Watch here:
From CNN's Sara Murray
Some in former President Donald Trump’s inner circle are worried that today could be just the first in a series of indictments.
“I could very easily see a situation where you have cascading indictments,” one Trump source said.
Republican lawmakers and rival 2024 candidates have bashed the New York indictment as a political prosecution. But with Trump facing two federal probes into his handing of classified documents and January 6, as well as a criminal probe in Georgia, some of Trump’s allies said they are less certain whether the drumbeat of support would withstand charges in multiple cases.
It may not be a long wait to see if Trump will face charges in other investigations. Charging decisions in Georgia could come as soon as this spring, CNN has reported. And the Justice Department is taking steps indicative of an investigation that’s wrapping up in the Mar-a-Lago documents probe.
From CNN's Evan Perez
There’s a rip-off-the-band-aid factor to today’s New York arrest and arraignment of Former President Donald Trump.
It’s an intangible aspect that Justice Department officials have long thought eventually federal prosecutors would confront: Would they be the first to charge a former president with a crime?
Now, New York City prosecutors have done it.
Justice officials say Special Counsel Jack Smith won’t be swayed by the case brought by the New York District Attorney.
The cases are separate and won’t be affected by today’s unprecedented events, officials say.
In appointing Smith, Attorney General Merrick Garland said he expected investigators “to make decisions indisputably guided only by the facts and the law.”
There are growing indications that Smith and his team are nearing a crucial point in their classified documents investigation, which could include possible charges of illegal retention of national security documents and obstruction of justice.
As with any prosecution, Smith will have to weigh his discretion on whether the charges are appropriate.
One factor that won’t have to be weighed: Being the first to charge the former president with a crime.