Trump after arraignment: 'This was never supposed to happen in America'

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday excoriated the government for bringing a second indictment against him as part of special counsel Jack Smith's probe of his efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election.

Trump appeared at a D.C. courthouse on Thursday and pleaded not guilty to four criminal counts before departing for the airport. Smith had charged him with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, threatening constitutional rights, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstruction of an official proceeding.

Speaking from the tarmac, Trump told reporters that "[t]his is a very sad day for America and it was also very sad driving through Washington, D.C., and seeing the filth and decay... This is not the place that I left."

"This is a persecution of a political opponent," Trump contended. "This was never supposed to happen in America... I'm leading Biden by a lot... you can't beat him you persecute or you prosecute him."

Trump will next appear in court for that case on Aug. 28.

Ben Whedon is an editor and reporter for Just the News. Follow him on Twitter.