Security measures in place around US Capitol complex ahead of Trump’s federal court appearance in DC
WASHINGTON - Tensions are high in the nation's capital Thursday ahead of former President Donald Trump's federal court appearance to answer charges he sought to overturn his 2020 presidential election loss.
The Republican former president will be facing a judge near the U.S. Capitol building his supporters stormed Jan. 6, 2021, to try to block the peaceful transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden.
FOX 5's Bob Barnard says perimeter fencing has already been put into place. The fencing is about waist high, Barnard said, and surrounds the complex. Several roads have also been closed to traffic around the area.
A report of a possible active shooter near the U.S. Senate Buildings Wednesday afternoon prompted shelter-in-place orders and evacuations by U.S. Capitol Police. All buildings were eventually cleared and no threat was discovered.
An indictment Tuesday from Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo his presidential election loss in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.
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Trump set to appear in DC court for historic arraignment Thursday: Here's what to expect
Former President Donald Trump is expected to appear in a Washington, D.C. courtroom Thursday after he was indicted on federal charges in connection to the Jan. 6 attack at the U.S. Capitol carried out by his supporters and his efforts to subvert the 2020 presidential election results leading up to it.
The arraignment is scheduled for 4 p.m. Trump is expected to be fingerprinted and will provide pertinent information for processing. U.S. Marshals say this is not technically an arrest, it is only a summons for his appearance, so he will not have his picture taken for a mugshot.
As with Trump's former appearances in courtrooms in Miami and New York, the arraignment could be fairly quick — perhaps about an hour.
The Associated Press contributed to this report