Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts

Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts, with his lawyers objecting to media outlets being allowed to broadcast his arraignment on Tuesday.

The request was made by several major news organizations to cover the high-profile trial, but Trump's lawyers argue that it would create a "circus-like atmosphere," raise unique security concerns, and compromise their client's right to a fair trial. In a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchant, they claimed that allowing video or photography of the proceedings could heighten serious security concerns related to Secret Service.

Trump's attorneys cited extraordinary security concerns in their objection, stating that broadcasting the arraignment would only exacerbate these risks. The move comes as Trump faces multiple charges, including those related to a hush money scheme and business dealings.

Meanwhile, the Manhattan District Attorney's office expressed willingness to defer to Judge Merchant on how best to manage the court proceedings but suggested it was a defensible exercise of the court's discretion to exclude or restrict videography, photography, and radio coverage. However, they noted that there is no categorical prohibition on cameras during an arraignment under existing New York statutes and case law.

The office pointed out that Judge Merchant had previously allowed limited still photographs to be taken prior to the commencement of proceedings in a similar case in 2021. CNN is among several news organizations requesting camera access for Tuesday's arraignment, which is expected to take place at Trump Tower in Manhattan.

What's next? They're gonna make us watch him get hauled off in chains live on TV like some kinda reality show! Can't we just get the gist of it from a reputable source without having to tune in to a potentially explosive circus?

So what's up with this? Trump's lawyers are trying to keep everything super secretive during his arraignment and it's causing some drama . I feel like the media outlets are just trying to do their job, but at the same time, I get why security is a big concern for everyone involved. It's not about creating a circus, it's about making sure that Trump gets a fair trial . But on the other hand, don't we want to see how this all plays out? The fact that they're trying to keep cameras out is pretty interesting... I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens on Tuesday

So they're saying no cameras at the arraignment but there was still time for selfies and live streams from outside? That doesn't seem right. It feels like a power play by Trump's lawyers trying to avoid scrutiny. What's really going on here? Is it just about protecting his ego or is there something more to it? And what about the public's right to know? Shouldn't we be able to see this in real-time if it's a high-profile trial like this? I'm not buying that security concerns are the only reason. There has to be more to it...

it's not about security, it's about Trump wanting control over his own media circus . News outlets just wanna show the world that justice is being served . Can't say I blame them for wanting a little transparency in this case

can u imagine watching trump arraigned on tv like it's some kinda show lol. his lawyers are being super dramatic about security concerns but honestly who cares? its just a court case. maybe they're worried the trump train will derail or something

so this is crazy ... like trump is trying to avoid being filmed during his trial and that's not surprising considering how he's been acting all these years ... but come on, it's a public trial, right? shouldn't the media be allowed to cover it? i think the court should allow cameras in for the arraignment, it's just a small part of the whole process . and let's be real, trump's lawyers are trying to spin this as some kind of security issue but that sounds like just an excuse to them ... the fact is, we all know there's going to be security at the trial, so what's the big deal? it's not like they're going to break out into a circus performance or something .

I gotta say , come on guys, it's just an arraignment, not a royal coronation or something! Can't we just have some basic transparency here? I mean, think about it, the guy's facing serious felony charges and his lawyers are trying to keep everything under wraps because they're worried about security concerns. Meanwhile, we're supposed to just magically know what's going on without any evidence? It's a total double standard if you ask me.

And let's not forget, the media outlets are doing their job by reporting on this, it's not like they're sensationalizing or anything (although some of them might be ). They just want to hold our elected officials accountable and give us an idea of what's really going on behind closed doors. It's only fair that we should have some access to the process, even if it's just a little bit.

I mean, I get where Trump's lawyers are coming from, but this is an outrage in terms of transparency and public interest. We need to make sure our justice system isn't being manipulated by powerful interests and that we can see how the wheels are really turning (or not turning). Anything less would be a total cop-out .