Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony criminal charges during a court hearing in New York.

In a speech in Florida after his arraignment, Trump says his only crime is defending America and that his lawyers claim there is no case against him.

Kevin Madden, Senior Partner at the Penta Group gives his analysis on how strong the case is against the 2024 White House contender.

Highlights:

00:56 - Now that we know what charges Trump is up against, could you give us a sense of what the potential consequences might be?

01:49 - Trump has hired top criminal defense lawyer Todd Blanche to head his legal team as he gears up to fight those criminal charges - all of which he has pleaded not guilty to. Which charges in particular should we expect his lawyers to be challenging, and how strong a case do they have? 

03:28 - Trump’s lawyers have so far insisted that the allegations are politically motivated. In your opinion, how likely is Mr Trump going to get a fair trial given that he's up against a judge that has crossed paths with him in 2022?

05:00 - Kevin, you're known to be a veteran of presidential campaigns. So, what kind of impact will this have on Trump’s 2024 Presidential run?

05:58 - Publicity yes, but could it actually further boost his popularity?

07:09 - Looking at it from a legal standpoint, there is nothing in US law that prevents a candidate who is found guilty of a crime from campaigning for, and serving as, president - even from prison. We’re still in the early days, but how likely is that scenario going to play out? 

08:11 - Conservatives believe that Trump is being held to a different standard of justice while liberals view this as an issue of holding law-breakers - even those in the highest positions of power - accountable. In your opinion, will this deepen already sharp divides within the American political system? 

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Presenter: Lynlee Foo

Producer: Yeo Kai Ting (ykaiting@sph.com.sg)