Trump arrives in Manhattan ahead of court appearance

NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump arrived in New York late Monday afternoon ahead of his court appearance in Manhattan the following day.

Trump left his Florida residence on a private plane bound for New York on Monday afternoon, landing at LaGuardia Airport just before 4 p.m. The former president’s motorcade arrived at Trump Tower, in Midtown, shortly after.

Trump briefly waved to the crowd of at least 50 supporters gathered outside before quickly entering through a side door of the Fifth Avenue building, where he will stay overnight as he prepares to be processed following his criminal indictment last week.

“I’m here today to show my support for Donald Trump who will also be our future 47th president in 2024," said Ariel Kohane, 51, of Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Kohane's characterization of Manhattan District attorney's probe of Trump as a "political witch hunt and forced prosecution" mirrored the former president's depiction of the investigation.

“WITCH HUNT, as our once great Country is going to HELL!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, his social media platform, minutes before his plane departed.

Another supporter outside Trump Tower agreed that the country was headed in the wrong direction.

“Have you looked at your 401K?" asked Vito Dichiara. "When [Trump] was president I looked at it and said that works for me, now I look at it and think that doesn’t work,” said the 71-year-old Long Island resident.

The former president will stay the night in his penthouse at Trump Tower before heading to the courthouse on Tuesday morning, according to travel plans his team released on Sunday night. Around 2:15 p.m., he’ll be arraigned, fingerprinted and photographed.

Trump, who’s seeking reelection in 2024, is expected to surrender after being indicted, presumably over alleged hush money payments to the adult-film actress Stormy Daniels, with the charges yet to be made public. The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office initially wanted him to surrender on Friday, but his lawyers said the Secret Service, which provides security detail for the former president, needed more time to prepare.

After being processed, he will fly back down to his Mar-a-Lago estate for the week. It will be a return to the normal schedule for the former president, which has included evening dinners with family and associates, as well as golfing at his nearby clubs. Trump will deliver remarks at an event at his Palm Beach residence on Tuesday night, The Associated Press reported, citing his campaign.

Nothing else is on the public agenda for the campaign on Monday and Tuesday, but Trump will be “back at it” on Wednesday, according to his campaign. He’ll give a speech in mid-April at the National Rifle Association conference in Indianapolis, but there are no other major events on his calendar.