Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday afternoon to criminal charges stemming from special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into his efforts to hold onto power following his 2020 election loss — including his role in the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump was charged with four felony counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of an official proceeding, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights.
Speaking to reporters after the hearing, the former president and current frontrunner for the 2024 Republican nomination called the charges a “persecution of a political opponent.”
Yahoo News is providing live updates and instant analysis of Trump’s latest arraignment from our reporters in Washington and elsewhere.
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