Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleads not guilty to charges involving illegal hush-money payments to an adult film star ahead of his 2016 presidential bid. 

A Manhattan district court has charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, a violation of New York Penal Law 175.10 according to a copy of the unsealed criminal indictment.

Trump is being accused of paying off three different people who had negative information about him in order to secure his 2016 presidential election bid, including a hush-money payment of $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, according to New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

"No amount of money and no amount of power changes that enduring American principle," Bragg said at a press conference following Trump's appearance in court.

These are class-E felonies, each carrying a minimum sentence of one year in jail, and a possible maximum sentence of five years if found guilty.

Trump went to the courthouse where he plead not guilty.

Trump said it was "surreal" to be appearing in court, as he posted live updates on social media while being driven to face criminal charges in Manhattan.

According to U.S. media reports, the judge overseeing Trump's criminal case in New York City has set the next in-person hearing for December 4.

Ahead of Trump being formally charged, both supporters and detractors gathered outside the Manhattan courthouse where his arraignment took place. Trump is the first sitting or former president to face criminal charges.

The charges stem from a 2016 hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels who claims she was paid to stay quiet about a sexual encounter with Trump at a Lake Tahoe hotel in 2006.

While Trump denies any sexual relationship, he has admitted to reimbursing his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen for the payment. Cohen pleaded guilty to federal campaign finance law violations in 2018 and was sentenced to three years in prison. He also testified in the Manhattan investigation last month.

Despite the charges, Trump's lead in the Republican Party's presidential nominating contest has widened, according to a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll. As the legal battle unfolds, the world will be watching closely to see the outcome of this historic case.

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