- Donald Trump, former US President, taken into custody in Georgia on allegations of racketeering .
- Trump faces his fourth criminal indictment this year, with prior charges including mishandling .
- Arrest coincides with Trump’s absence from a debate and underscores his ongoing legal battles.
Former US President Donald Trump was arrested in Georgia on Thursday, facing charges of racketeering and conspiracy in connection with his alleged involvement in challenging the 2020 election results in the state. The 77-year-old Trump was formally processed on 13 charges at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta.
This arrest comes as the fourth criminal indictment for Trump this year, setting the stage for a year filled with legal proceedings alongside potential political ambitions.
During a brief proceeding lasting less than 30 minutes, Donald Trump was taken into custody at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia. The charges against him include racketeering and conspiracy related to his efforts to challenge the 2020 election results. Jail records document his height at six feet three inches (approximately 1.9 meters), weight at 215 pounds (about 97 kilograms), and hair color as “Blond or Strawberry.”
This marks the fourth criminal indictment for Trump this year, following charges in New York for hush money payments to an adult film star, in Florida for mishandling classified documents, and in Washington for alleged involvement in conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Notably, Trump had previously avoided having a mugshot taken during his earlier arrests.
Before his arrest, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, attributing his arrest to his actions of challenging what he perceives as a “rigged and stolen” election. He expressed disappointment, stating that his arrest was “yet another sad day in America.” His arrest occurred shortly after he declined to participate in a televised debate in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where several of his Republican presidential nomination competitors were present.
Fulton County Sheriff Pat Labat clarified that taking a defendant’s photograph before release on bail is standard procedure in Georgia. Trump’s bail was set at $200,000.