Here is a new America. The Indictment of Donald Trump will go down in American History as the first of its kind. Donald John Trump appeared before a New York judge for the first time since he became the only former president of the United States to face criminal prosecution.
Donald Trump held to his guns and pled not guilty in Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday to 34 felony charges. The charges include falsifying business records related to three alleged hush-money payments, including one to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. The crypto community has graced his Indictment with a flow of NFTs.
Donald Trump’s arrest shocks the globe
Donald Trump’s legal battle with the United States government began yesterday. The arraignment on Tuesday marks the beginning of what is known as “discovery.” This is a period during which prosecutors allow the defense team access to the evidence gathered by investigators against a defendant.
With the next hearing in the Donald Trump case scheduled for December 4, prosecutors and the defense will also be able to file a series of motions – requests for the court to rule on specific issues – prior to a trial.
Such motions can include a request to completely dismiss the charges, challenges to specific pieces of evidence, or efforts to change the venue or dismiss a judge, all of which Trump’s legal team may pursue, according to Trump’s surrogates. No one can predict with certainty the outcome of this case. Nevertheless, one thing is certain: the world is watching, and their response is one that takes a historic stand.
Who is expected to testify? Observers have speculated that key players, such as Daniels and Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen, may testify in the case. They will likely break up lengthy periods of sifting through mountains of financial and banking documents.
Daniels’ attorney tweeted in March that his client had met with the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and “agreed to make herself available as a witness.” Daniels has alleged she had a sexual encounter with Donald Trump in 2006, which the former president denies.
Former Trump confidant Michael Cohen previously testified in his own federal tax evasion and fraud trial that Trump directed him to pay Daniels $130,000 in exchange for her silence, which the Republican politician has publicly denied.
The indictment also mentioned a hush-money payment to a former Trump Tower doorman, as well as a separate $150,000 payment to an unidentified woman who claimed she had a sexual relationship with Trump, which could be a reference to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Meanwhile, whether or not Trump chooses to testify will be closely watched. As of now, Trump has taken the stage to let Americans know that the USD is weakening in the global economy.
Trump’s NFTs surge
Following Tuesday’s 45th president’s court appearance in New York City, sales of Donald Trump’s non-fungible token (NFT) collection increased.
According to data from secondary market OpenSea, Trump Digital Trading Card holders collectively sold 30 tokens in the hour following his court appearance, a 462% increase, and 47 tokens in the six hours following his court appearance.
In December, the former president released his series of digital collectibles. A buyer could purchase a token bearing his likeness for $99 and enter sweepstakes to win exclusive experiences with the ex-president. The collection sold out rapidly, and the price on the secondary market more than doubled.
‘Criminal’ Trump NFTs emerge
In the same way that there are Trump supporters, there are also critics who believe he is a criminal whom the “great” United States should punish. Since his historic indictment on 34 counts of felony, there has been a surge in criminal-themed NFTs in the crypto industry.
The Donald Trump Criminal Digital Cards Ethereum NFT collection appears to be an unlicensed copy of Trump Digital Trading Cards. The Trump Criminal Digital Cards project was initiated roughly two weeks ago, at a time when rumors that Trump would soon be indicted were intensifying.
The collection’s total supply is limited to 945 unique NFTs. Of the 28 sales that had occurred in the preceding day, a few purchases were marked as “Smart Money Buys” on Nansen, a feature of the analytics platform for tracking prolific traders.
Using elements from Trump’s NFT collection, such as his smiling and pixelated face, the new collection depicts Trump in various prison cells and wearing various prison attire. One of his rarer outfits is a metal ball and chain attached to his ankle.
