Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is to appear in a federal court facing federal charges related to attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat, arrives at Reagan Washington National Airport in nearby Arlington, Virginia, U.S., August 3, 2023. REUTERS/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades
WASHINGTON 鈥� Former U.S. President Donald Trump said after his arraignment on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election that it was a 鈥渧ery sad day for America.鈥�
鈥淭his is a persecution of a political opponent. This was never supposed to happen in America,鈥� Trump said before boarding his plane to return to New Jersey after the court hearing.
Trump himself has been accused of using government power for political gain. Republican Trump鈥檚 first of two impeachments, in 2019, was for pressuring Ukraine to investigate his Democratic rival Joe Biden. Senate Republicans acquitted him of those charges.