Trump is not expected to be handcuffed after the arrest, although he will be fingerprinted as part of the process, CBS News reports.

He will then be transferred to a courtroom, where he will be arraigned, an appearance that is expected to be quick, but that represents a historic and surreal moment in the history of the United States, as of today he is the first former president in the history of the country that will face criminal charges.

The former president could be indicted on more than two dozen charges, following an allegation related to buying silence from adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

The criminal charges stem from a $130,000 payment made to Daniels by his then-middle man, Michael Cohen, and while they say the act itself isn’t illegal, the way they covered it up might be, The Hill reports.

The arrival of the former White House tenant in New York caused tight security measures and a chaotic scene around the courthouse in lower Manhattan.

Supporters and critics of the former president began gathering outside the courthouse, while some anti-Trump protesters cheered as he entered the building.

The impeachment comes as Trump campaigns to run for the White House again in 2024, leading the field by a wide margin in the fledgling race for the Republican nomination, according to polls.

The tycoon is also weighing on other investigations still underway, including his alleged efforts to annul the results of the 2020 elections, his role in instigating the January 6 attack on Congress headquarters, and the discovery of classified documents at his Florida residence.

ef/ro/adr