WASHINGTON—Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty Thursday to charges stemming from his alleged widespread efforts to remain in power after his 2020 election loss, appearing in a federal courtroom just blocks from the U.S. Capitol his supporters stormed on Jan. 6, 2021.
While the plea amounted to two words, their resonance was enormous, with Trump denying what prosecutors allege: that he is the first U.S. president in the nation’s history to commit crimes as he sought to block the smooth and peaceful transfer of power to his successor.
To his supporters, Trump’s postelection campaign to show himself the victor was an act of courage; for his detractors, the charges are a long-awaited accounting for the loss he refused to accept. The charges brought in Washington directly relate to Trump’s conduct in the aftermath of the 2020 election and will resonate on the 2024 campaign trail as he seeks to recapture the White House.