Security has been stepped up in New York after former US President Donald Trump was indicted by a jury for paying a "hush" after having an affair with an adult movie star.

While all officers in the New York Police Department (NYPD) were called to duty from yesterday, regardless of their rank, the Manhattan criminal court, the District Attorney's Office and the front of Trump Tower on Manhattan 5th Street were surrounded by police barriers.

In front of Trump Tower, anti-Trump groups carried banners saying "Wear Trump in prison clothes", while Trump supporters unfurled a US flag, accusing those investigating Trump of corruption.

On the other hand, according to two sources who spoke to CNN with knowledge of the case, Trump is expected to appear in Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday at 14:15 local time.

The Associated Press (AP) also wrote that Trump was asked to arrive today, but his lawyers said the Secret Service, which is responsible for the former president's security, needed additional time to prepare for security.

ATTORNEY SPEAK

Trump's lawyer, on the other hand, said that the defense lawyers did not see the indictment containing the accusations against Trump and that he only had the news in the press.

According to the news in BBC Turkish, Joe Tacopina told CBS channel that Trump's legal team did not know about the indictment until Thursday evening.

He interpreted the jury's decision as "political persecution".

Tacopina told ABC News that Trump would not be handcuffed at the hearing and said, "I understand they're going to close the blocks around the courthouse, they're going to close the courthouse."

'SUS SHARE' PAYMENT

Adult movie star Stormy Daniels claimed that she signed an agreement in 2016 for a payment of 130,000 dollars to remain silent about her alleged sexual intercourse with Trump, but argued that it was invalid because it was not signed by Trump.

While Trump denied Daniels' allegations, Michael Cohen, who was Trump's lawyer before the 2016 election campaign, confirmed that he paid Daniels $130,000 from his own account on Trump's behalf.

Cohen claimed that the Trump companies later repaid him about $420,000 in bonuses.

Detained in December 2018 on charges of "lying" and "tax evasion" in the investigation into Trump's election campaign, Cohen was sentenced to 3 years in court and sent to federal prison in Otisville in May 2019 to serve his sentence.

In those years, federal prosecutors did not need to initiate any investigation against Trump, while the Manhattan District Attorney's Office initiated what is known as the "shutdown" payment.

It was stated that the prosecutor's office examined the legal status of the said payment within the framework of the election campaign and how the payment was reflected in the company records.

What is Trump accused of?

Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has been accused of several things throughout his presidency and beyond. Some of the notable accusations include:

Incitement of insurrection: In January 2021, Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives for incitement of insurrection related to the storming of the U.S. Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021.

Sexual assault and harassment: Several women have accused Trump of sexual assault and harassment. These accusations date back to the 1980s and include allegations of unwanted kissing, groping, and other forms of sexual misconduct.

Obstruction of justice: There are allegations that Trump obstructed justice by interfering with investigations into his own conduct, including the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.

Tax fraud and financial misconduct: Trump has been accused of tax fraud and financial misconduct, including misusing his charitable foundation, inflating his assets, and evading taxes.

Discrimination: Trump has been accused of discriminating against various groups of people, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

It is important to note that these accusations are just that - accusations - and have not all been proven in a court of law.