Trump Struggles to Defend Himself in Bizarre Post-Arrest Speech

 The former president spoke to the nation from Mar-a-Lago hours after pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts. He didn't have much to say

Donald Trump speaks during a press conference following his arrest, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on April 4, 2023. CHANDAN KHANNA/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

AFTER A DAY of historic indignity — spent getting booked and arraigned at a Manhattan courthouse — former president Donald Trump retreated to his safe space, Mar-a-Lago, where he delivered an embittered televised address to the nation.

Trump entered his ballroom to the strains of Lee Greenwood’s “I’m Proud to be an American.” The crowd chanted “USA! USA!” as he took the podium in front of a backdrop of American flags, ready to reassert himself after a day of powerlessness in court.

But Trump’s delivery was drained as he rattled through an endless litany of conspiracy and complaint, not only about the day’s criminal proceedings but about the “onslaught of fraudulent investigations” he claims are unfairly targeting him, ranging from “Russia, Russia, Russia,” to the dual impeachment “hoaxes,” to the “boxes hoax” (his new term for his mishandling of classified documents at his Florida resort), to his “persecution” at the hands of New York Attorney General Letitia James.

Trump took advantage of the free air time to proclaim his innocence: “The only crime I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.” 

A key purpose of Trump’s speech seemed to be priming his faithful for additional prosecutions that may soon be incoming. He blasted the “local racist” prosecutor in Georgia who is investigating his election interference in that state. (In an odd throwback to his impeachment over Ukraine, Trump characterized his haranguing of Georgia election officials as another “perfect phone call.”)

Similarly, Trump trashed the “radical-left lunatic bomb-thrower” Jack Smith, whom Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped to lead federal investigations into his document scandal and his efforts to subvert the 2020 election.

And despite a caution from the judge in his Manhattan case to lower the temperature, Trump specifically lashed out at the New York jurist: “I have a Trump-hating judge,” he insisted. He also bashed the Manhattan DA who just indicted him, calling him the “radical-left George Soros-backed prosecutor Alvin Bragg.” 

Donald Trump returned to his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, Tuesday evening where he delivered a primetime address to hundreds of supporters protesting his innocence after he was confronted with a 34-count felony indictment accusing him in a scheme to bury allegations of extramarital affairs during his first White House campaign.