Former President Donald Trump turned himself in at an Atlanta jail late Thursday related to charges that he illegally attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election. This comes weeks after Fulton County District Attorney’s office indicted Trump and his former associates on a slew of charges related to the election.
Former President Donald Trump voluntarily surrendered himself to Fulton County authorities Thursday evening to face charges in a sweeping racketeering indictment alleging he and 18 others attempted to subvert the 2020 election in Georgia.
Trump arrived at the Fulton County jail surrounded by fanfare of bystanders who were there to support the former president or celebrate his fourth criminal indictment since March this year.
The former president was booked as number 2313827, according to jail records. His height was recorded as 6 feet, 3 inches, and his weight as 215 pounds.
The booking, which took about 20 minutes, included a mug shot that has not yet been released to the public. This is the fourth time the former president has been arrested, having been indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and twice by the Justice Department.
Shortly after being released on bond, Trump gave a short statement to reporters:
I really believe this is a very sad day for America. This should never happen. If you challenge an election, you should be able to challenge an election. I thought the election was a rigged election, a stolen election. I should have every right to do that. As you know, you have many people that you’ve been watching over the years do the same thing, whether it’s Hillary Clinton or Stacey Abrams or many others. When you have that great freedom to challenge, you have to be able to otherwise you’re going to have very dishonest elections. What has taken place here is a travesty of justice. We did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. And everybody knows it. I’ve never had such support. And that goes with the other ones too. What they’re doing is election interference. They’re trying to interfere with an election. There’s never been anything like it in our country before. This is their way of campaigning. And this is one instance, but you have three other instances. It’s election interference.
BREAKING: Former President Donald Trump gives statement after being arrested on charges of illegally trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
“You should be able to challenge an election. I thought the election was a rigged election, a stolen election.” pic.twitter.com/DetUIKiCaD
— Jeff Charles, An Awful Pundit🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) August 25, 2023
A large gathering of supporters had been posted outside of the jail before Trump arrived to express their support. Some waved flags with displaying his name.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has given the other defendants until Friday afternoon to turn themselves in. She also proposed starting the trial of one defendant on October 23, but scheduling conflicts with the other 18 defendants might not make this possible.
