Former US president Donald Trump flew into New York City on his private plane to face charges stemming from a probe into hush money paid to an adult film actress, while his lawyers argued against letting cameras in the courtroom.
With New York taking security precautions and the mayor telling potential agitators to behave, Mr Trump was due to surrender at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office tomorrow and will likely be fingerprinted prior to appearing before a judge for an arraignment where he will plead not guilty.
Mr Trump, 76, is seeking to regain the presidency in 2024 and is the first former US president to face criminal charges.
His plane - painted in red, white and blue with TRUMP in big letters on the side and an image of the American flag on the tail - arrived at LaGuardia Airport in Queens after a three-and-a-half-hour flight from West Palm Beach near his Florida home.
Clad in a blue suit and wearing a red tie, Mr Trump walked deliberately and alone down a flight of stairs from the airplane and climbed into an SUV for a drive in a motorcade to Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Beefing up his legal team, Mr Trump hired Todd Blanche, a prominent white-collar criminal defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor, to join his defence, two sources familiar with the matter said.
Mr Blanche and other Trump lawyers urged the judge not to allow videography, photography and radio coverage of the arraignment.
In a letter to the court, they argued against allowing such coverage, saying it would "exacerbate an already almost circus-like atmosphere around this case" and "detract from both the dignity and decorum of the proceedings and courtroom".
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office said it would leave it to the discretion of the judge but noted that Justice Juan Merchan allowed a limited number of still photos prior to last year's criminal trial in which Mr Trump's real estate company was convicted of tax fraud.
The Manhattan grand jury that indicted Mr Trump heard evidence for months this year about a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the waning days of the 2016 presidential campaign.
Ms Daniels has said she was paid to keep silent about a sexual encounter she had with Mr Trump at a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2006.
Mr Trump denies having had any such relationship with her.
The specific charges in the indictment by a grand jury convened by Mr Bragg, a Democrat, have yet to be disclosed.
Mr Trump has said he is innocent. He and his allies have portrayed the charges as politically motivated.
A motorcade of several vehicles took Mr Trump at midday from his Mar-a-Lago estate to the airport in nearby West Palm Beach.
Mr Trump climbed out of an SUV vehicle before he and members of his entourage climbed a set of stairs to enter his plane.
"WITCH HUNT, as our once great Country is going to HELL!" he posted on social media right before he left Florida.
Mr Trump said on social media he would head to the courthouse tomorrow morning.
Former US president Donald Trump has left his Florida home bound for New York where he will surrender to criminal charges. The 76-year-old Republican is the first American president ever to be criminally indicted | https://t.co/uv4nC9qoiQ pic.twitter.com/ilNrVoJYrh
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) April 3, 2023
'Our country has fallen,' says Trump campaign
Mr Trump's campaign raised $7 million in the three days after word of the indictment emerged last Thursday, senior adviser Jason Miller said.
The campaign issued the latest in a series of fundraising emails, taking aim at the media's reporting on his indictment.
Remarks attributed to Mr Trump in the email stated: "Our country has fallen. But I'm not giving up on America. We can and we will save our nation in 2024."
A court official said the arraignment was planned for 2.15pm (7.15pm Irish time) tomorrow.
Mr Trump then will return to Florida and deliver remarks from Mar-a-Lago at 8.15pm tomorrow (1.15am Irish time on Wednesday), his office said.
The New York case is one of several probes Mr Trump faces.
A few dozen Trump fans cheered at the Florida airport and along the route he took to get there, carrying signs and flags.
Mayor calls for 'best behaviour' from protesters
New York police over the weekend began erecting barricades near Trump Tower and the Manhattan Criminal Court building.
Demonstrations were expected at those sites tomorrow.
Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat, said there was no known specific security threat.
"While there may be some rabble-rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves. New York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced anger," he said.
"As always, we will not allow violence or vandalism of any kind. And if one is caught participating in any act of violence, they will be arrested and held accountable no matter who you are," Adams added, specifically mentioning Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, who has announced plans to protest.
"Be on your best behavior," the mayor said.
Asked whether he was worried about unrest around Trump's arraignment, President Joe Biden, touring a factory in Minnesota, said, "No, I have faith in the New York Police Department."
