US justice system lawless, country going to hell: Donald Trump
What's the story
Former United States (US) president and Republican, Donald Trump, addressed a gathering of his supporters at his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida after his arraignment in New York in the case of hush money payments to pornstar Stormy Daniels.
He slammed US President Joe Biden, alleging that the ruling Democrats colluded with state agencies to target Republicans, and said the country is going to hell.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in the case, which Republicans insist is a conspiracy by the Democrats to get Trump convicted.
If found guilty, the Republican front-runner will be eliminated from the 2024 US presidential election.
The judgment will also affect the proceedings of the other criminal investigations that he is facing, including his involvement in the Capitol Hill attack.
Statement
Darkest hours of American history: Trump
Trump said, "I never thought anything like this could happen in America," adding that his only crime was fearlessly defending the nation from those who wanted to destroy it.
Calling it "the darkest hours of American history," he said he was in great spirits, at least for the moment. He said the "radical left" prosecutors were out to get him at any cost.
Details
World laughing at us: Trump
Trump went on to say that the world is laughing at the US for its open borders and troop withdrawal from Afghanistan. He accused Democrats of spying on his campaign and attacking him with an onslaught of fraudulent probes.
He also alluded to his impeachment by the House of Representatives twice, calling it a hoax as he was acquitted by the Senate both times.
Biden
FBI, Justice Department in collusion with Democrats: Trump
Further slamming the Bidens, he claimed that the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) conspired with social media behemoths Facebook and Twitter to cover up Hunter Biden's "laptop from hell" case.
He claimed that the case exposed the Biden family as criminals and that it would have resulted in a 17-point difference in the election result.
Laptop
What is the 'laptop from hell'?
Weeks before the 2020 presidential election, a report accused Joe Biden of corruption based on the data from a laptop belonging to Hunter Biden, which he reportedly abandoned in a Delaware computer repair shop in 2019.
It revealed that a Ukrainian natural gas producer paid Hunter Biden millions of dollars to serve on its board during the presidency of Barack Obama, also a Democrat.
Information
Trump is facing separate criminal cases
Aside from the hush money, Trump is accused of falsifying his company's business records to cover his tracks. He is also facing separate criminal charges for allegedly attempting to overturn his election loss in Georgia in 2020 and handling classified documents after leaving office.