Washington: In what US prosecutors call an unprecedented attempt by the then-president to undermine the foundations of American democracy, Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to federal charges that he orchestrated a plot to try to overturn his 2020 election loss.
The investigation's chief investigator, Special Counsel Jack Smith, watched from the front row as Trump entered his plea before US Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya.
The court appearance, which lasted about 30 minutes, was held a short distance from the US Capitol, which his supporters stormed on January 6, 2021, in an effort to prevent Congress from announcing his defeat.
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The plea, which is Trump's third in four months, begins months of legal wrangling before the trial, which will take place against the backdrop of the 2024 presidential campaign, in which Trump is the front-runner for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden.
Smith charged Trump and his allies with promoting false claims that the election was rigged, pressuring state and federal officials to change the results, and putting together phoney slates of electors in an effort to steal electoral votes from Biden in a 45-page indictment released on Tuesday.
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Trump, 77, is charged with four counts, including obstruction of justice, conspiracy to defraud the US, and denying voters their right to have their votes counted. Maximum prison time for the most serious charge is 20 years.
Trump will not be required to appear at the upcoming hearing on August 28 before US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, according to Upadhyaya. At that time, Chutkan plans to schedule a trial date, according to Upadhyaya. The first planned Republican primary debate is scheduled for August 28; five days later. Trump has not yet declared his participation.
Trump has characterised the indictment and the other legal proceedings against him as a "witch hunt" meant to thwart his bid for the presidency. Since Tuesday, he has claimed in a number of social media posts that the Biden administration is pursuing him for political purposes.
He had previously entered a not guilty plea to federal charges that he had kept secret records after leaving office and to state charges in New York that he had fabricated records in order to conceal payments to a porn star.
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In Georgia, where a state prosecutor is looking into Trump's attempts to rig the election there, additional charges could be brought against him soon. By the middle of August, according to Atlanta-area prosecutor Fani Willis, indictments will be brought.
To ensure my election, "I NEED ONE MORE INDICTION!" Prior to his court appearance on Thursday, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform