Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Thursday to charges that he conspired to remain in office despite his 2020 election loss. He appeared before a judge in a Washington courthouse in the shadow of the Capitol, where his supporters rampaged in an effort to undermine the peaceful transfer of power. Trump, who is running for president again, stood before a federal magistrate judge, who asked for his plea to the four counts he faced. He replied, “Not guilty.” It was the third time in four months that he stood before a judge on criminal charges. But it was the most momentous, the beginning of what prosecutors say should be a reckoning for his multipronged efforts to undermine democracy. Reporters on an airport tarmac afterward had no chance to ask Trump questions. He gave a short statement, then turned around quickly. #trumpindictment #jan6