As heard on KSFO, former President Donald Trump addressed the nation Tuesday evening after pleading “not guilty” to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during his arraignment in a New York courtroom. 

“God bless you all. I never thought anything like this could happen in America,” were Trump’s first words. 

Trump took to the stage after returning to his Mar-a-Lago, Florida home and said “The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.” 

In the speech, he called for New York district attorney Alvin Bragg, who he called a “criminal,” to face charges over leaked details of his indictment. Trump also claimed the “fake case” was brought “only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election” and said it should be “dropped immediately.”