White House avoids questions on ex-president Trump’s arraignment

International

oi-Prakash KL

United States former President Donald Trump’s arraignment on Tuesday has been global news, but not for the US government.

The White House refused to comment on the issue while stating US President Biden is “going to focus on the American people like every day”.

“So first, I have to say this, it’s an ongoing case, so we’re just not going to comment on the case specifically itself…Look, the president’s going to focus on the American people like he does every day. This is not something that is a focus for him. He is going to focus on things like making sure we continue to lower prices for the American people,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said while responding to a question over Trump’s arraignment.

“Of course, this is playing out on many of the networks here on a daily basis for hours and hours, so obviously, he will catch part of the news when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day, but this is not his focus for today,” she said.

Biden met with his Council of Advisors on Science and Technology for a conversation on artificial intelligence while former President Trump’s arraignment took place in Manhattan, according to CNN.

On the other hand, former US President Donald Trump on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a Manhattan court during his arraignment on history-making criminal charges related to paying hush money to a porn star before the 2016 presidential election in exchange for her silence.

The 76-year-old former president, who ruled the country for four years till January 2021, was arrested when he arrived to surrender at the Manhattan criminal court. This is for the first time that a former US president has been under arrest and arranged for criminal charges.

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal charges of falsifying business records before State Supreme Court Justice Juan M Merchan. He entered the plea during a brief arraignment as prosecutors unsealed a grand jury indictment.

The former president earlier arrived at the specially secured Manhattan courthouse in an eight-car motorcade. He was arrested as he arrived at the court.