Donald Trump was arrested twice as a criminal defendant: first when he surrendered in Manhattan on April 4, 2023, and again when he surrendered at the Fulton County jail in Georgia on August 24, 2023. Any Trump arrest warrant that existed in his four criminal cases was resolved through pre-negotiated voluntary surrender rather than a police pickup. He was convicted in the Manhattan case but sentenced to no punishment, and the other three cases, in Georgia and in two federal jurisdictions, were dismissed before trial.
The Manhattan Surrender and Conviction
The first indictment came out of Manhattan in March 2023. On April 4, Trump arrived from Trump Tower at the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, was told he was under arrest, and was fingerprinted and processed. No mug shot was taken.1CNBC. Trump Arraignment New York Indictment Live Updates and News Acting New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan released him without bail.2NBC News. Trump Arrested and Arraigned in New York Court
Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors alleged the records concealed reimbursements for hush money payments made during the 2016 campaign, including $130,000 paid by Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels and $150,000 paid by American Media Inc. to Karen McDougal.2NBC News. Trump Arrested and Arraigned in New York Court
A jury convicted him on all 34 counts in May 2024, making him the first U.S. president, sitting or former, to be convicted of a felony.3NPR. Trump Sentencing New York On January 10, 2025, days before his second inauguration, Judge Merchan imposed an unconditional discharge: no prison, no fines, no probation. The conviction stays on his record.4BBC. Trump Sentenced to Unconditional Discharge in Hush Money Case
Trump’s legal team filed a formal appeal on October 27, 2025, submitting a 96-page brief to the Appellate Division’s First Department. The brief argues the trial was “fatally marred” by evidence that should have been shielded by presidential immunity and by alleged judicial bias.5ABC News. Trump Formally Appeals New York Hush Money Conviction Separately, his lawyers petitioned a federal appeals court to move the state case into federal jurisdiction with the goal of dismissal.6Politico. Donald Trump Appeal Hush Money Conviction
The Georgia Surrender and Mug Shot
On August 14, 2023, a Fulton County grand jury returned a 41-count indictment against Trump and 18 co-defendants, alleging a conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. Trump personally faced 13 charges, including violation of Georgia’s RICO statute, conspiracy involving fake electors, and multiple counts of soliciting a public official to violate their oath.7CNN. Annotated Trump Indictment Georgia Election
District Attorney Fani Willis set a noon deadline of August 25, 2023, for defendants to surrender voluntarily.8Georgia Recorder. Live Coverage From Fulton County Trump’s lawyers negotiated a consent bond agreement in advance. He surrendered at the Fulton County jail on the evening of August 24, was placed under arrest, and was fingerprinted and photographed. Booking took about 20 minutes.9CNN. Trump Georgia Surrender Indictment
The photograph was the first ever mug shot of a former U.S. president. He was processed as inmate No. P01135809.10CBS News. Trump Mug Shot Fulton County Jail Arrest Bail was set at $200,000, made up of an $80,000 bond for the racketeering count and $10,000 bonds for each of the other 12 charges. Trump posted 10 percent of the total through Foster Bail Bonds LLC.9CNN. Trump Georgia Surrender Indictment His release conditions barred him from intimidating co-defendants or witnesses, including through social media, and prohibited direct communication about the case with co-defendants outside of attorneys.
Why the Case Was Dismissed
The case unraveled after controversy over DA Willis’s romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. In December 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals disqualified Willis, finding a “significant appearance of impropriety.”11The Guardian. Fani Willis Appeal Georgia Supreme Court Trump On September 16, 2025, the Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear her appeal in a 4-3 decision.12Georgia Recorder. DA Fani Willis Loses Appeal
Peter Skandalakis of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia took over and moved to dismiss the entire case. Judge Scott McAfee granted the motion on November 26, 2025, dropping all charges against Trump and the remaining co-defendants.13Georgia Recorder. Fulton County Election Interference Case Dismissed In a 23-page filing, Skandalakis wrote that there was “no realistic prospect” of bringing a sitting president to trial in Georgia, and that presidential immunity questions alone “would tie the case up for months or years.” He called Trump’s recorded phone call to Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger “concerning” but not a “smoking gun.”14NPR. Georgia Trump Election Case Dismissed
Four co-defendants had already accepted plea deals before the dismissal: Sidney Powell, Scott Hall, Jenna Ellis, and Kenneth Chesebro. Those pleas remain binding.15Democracy Docket. State’s Motion to Nolle Prosequi
The Federal Election Interference Case
Special Counsel Jack Smith obtained a federal indictment in Washington, D.C., in August 2023 charging Trump with four felony counts: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. The charges centered on efforts to overturn the 2020 election and events leading up to January 6, 2021.16PBS. A Guide to the Criminal Cases Against Donald Trump
After Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Smith moved to dismiss the case, citing long-standing Justice Department policy that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted. Judge Tanya Chutkan granted the dismissal without prejudice on November 25, 2024, meaning charges could theoretically be refiled after Trump leaves office. Smith stated the outcome was “not based on the merits or strength of the case against the defendant.”17BBC. Trump Federal Criminal Cases Dismissed
The Classified Documents Case
A federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida indicted Trump in June 2023 over classified national defense documents kept at Mar-a-Lago after he left office. The charges grew to 40 felony counts, including willful retention of national defense information under the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice. Personal aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira were charged as co-defendants.16PBS. A Guide to the Criminal Cases Against Donald Trump
The case originated with an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago on August 8, 2022. U.S. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart had approved the search warrant on August 5, citing three federal statutes: 18 U.S.C. § 793 (unauthorized retention of national defense information), 18 U.S.C. § 2071 (concealment or removal of government records), and 18 U.S.C. § 1519 (obstruction of a federal investigation).18Congressional Research Service. Mar-a-Lago Search Warrant Legal Analysis
In July 2024, presiding Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case, ruling that Smith’s appointment as special counsel was unconstitutional under the Appointments Clause. Smith appealed but dropped the appeal against Trump after the November 2024 election. The Justice Department later voluntarily dismissed the appeal against Nauta and De Oliveira, and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals formally ended the case against both co-defendants on February 11, 2025.19CBS News. Trump Documents Case Dismissed
How the Immunity Ruling Changed the Cases
The Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. United States, handed down July 1, 2024, shaped how each case ended. In a 6-3 ruling written by Chief Justice John Roberts, the Court held that former presidents have absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within their core constitutional powers and at least presumptive immunity for other official acts. Only purely unofficial conduct carries no immunity.20SCOTUSblog. Justices Rule Trump Has Some Immunity From Prosecution
The ruling also barred prosecutors from using evidence of immune official acts to prove charges based on unofficial conduct. It directly forced a reworking of the federal January 6 case, was cited by Skandalakis in the Georgia dismissal, and is at the heart of Trump’s Manhattan appeal, where his lawyers argue protected official-act evidence was improperly shown to the jury.21Congressional Research Service. Supreme Court Presidential Immunity Analysis
Iran’s Arrest Warrant Is Separate
Iran issued its own arrest warrant for Trump in June 2020, accusing him and 35 other U.S. officials of murder and terrorism in connection with the January 3, 2020, drone strike that killed General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad. Tehran asked Interpol for a “red notice.” Interpol refused, citing its constitutional bar on “any intervention or activities of a political, military, religious or racial character.”22PBS. Iran Issues Arrest Warrant for Trump That Interpol Rejects Iran renewed the effort in May 2023, when Tehran’s prosecutor general issued fresh warrants for Trump, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and 71 other U.S. officials.23Iran International. Iran Issues New Arrest Warrants for Trump and US Officials The warrants have no practical effect outside Iran, given Interpol’s refusal and the absence of an extradition treaty with the United States.