Trump pleads not guilty to Georgia election interference charges

NPR's Washington Desk

August 31, 2023 / 8:12 am

caption: Former President Donald Trump arrives at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport after being booked at the Fulton County jail on Aug. 24.

Updated August 31, 2023 at 11:45 AM ET

Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from his unsuccessful attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss in Georgia.

The plea was entered Thursday in a court filing, as Trump waived his right to appear at an arraignment that had been scheduled for Wednesday.

That's an option in the Fulton County case, and other co-defendants, such as former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell, have similarly waived their appearance.

Trump faces 13 felony counts in Georgia. The Republican presidential front-runner surrendered to the county jail in Atlanta and was booked on the charges on Aug. 24, becoming the first former U.S. president with a mug shot.

The judge in the case has yet to set Trump's trial date — which could be complicated by the flurry of conflicting motions from many of his 18 co-defendants and the former president's several other legal cases.

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