Donald Trump is "shocked" by his indictment by a grand jury but is "ready to fight" the claims, his ex-lawyer has said.
The 76-year-old property tycoon last night became the first former US President in history to be charged with a crime, bringing fresh doubts over his candidacy for next year's election.
The criminal proceedings, which were filed with the clerk’s office in Manhattan Supreme Court on Thursday, are connected to hush money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to women who alleged extramarital sexual encounters.
In a statement, Trump described the charges as "Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history”, with a number of allies since coming out in his defence.
Trump was seen attending a party at Mar-a-Lago on Thursday night with his wife Melania within hours of the announcement.
His ex-attorney, Joe Tacopina, said on Fox News that the charges had come as a shock to Trump, later telling the New York Post that his former client did "not commit any crime" and has now vowed to "vigorously fight this political prosecution in court".
Trump's main rival in the race for president, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, meanwhile called the indictment "un-American" in a statement on Thursday night but did not mention the former president by name.
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who has already declared her candidacy and could run against Trump, meanwhile blasted the indictment as "more about revenge than it is about justice."
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who is considering a run, accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of "undermining America's confidence in our legal system," while also sending a fundraising text off the news.
Trump is expected to appear at the prosecutor's office next week to be processed and fingerprinted, and will also have a mug shot taken.
He is also expected to appear in court, where a judge would list the charges and Trump would enter a plea.
It is likely his legal team will try to secure him a private entrance to the court to avoid him having to do the traditional 'perp walk'. Between entering the prosecutor's office and appearing in court, Trump will be kept in a cell or other form of holding area.
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As a former president with lifelong protection, Secret Service agents would accompany him throughout the process.
Beyond the Manhattan case, Trump is facing several other investigations, including a Georgia inquiry into his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election and a federal probe into his alleged mishandling of classified documents.
An indictment or conviction would not bar Trump from running for president or serving as the Republican nominee.
