Prosecutors have accused Donald Trump of a cover-up during the campaign that brought him to the White House. On Tuesday, they outlined 34 criminal charges against him at a courthouse in Manhattan, a first for a former US president.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Prosecutors have been investigating a payment made to an adult film actress in the days before the 2016 presidential election. They are also interested in a payment to another woman who says she, too, had an affair with him. They say Trump falsified business records "repeatedly and fraudulently."

The man who led the investigation, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, has faced a stream of criticism from Trump and his supporters. However, he said in a news conference on Tuesday that he will not "normalize" serious criminal conduct.

Bragg said, "We today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal before the law. No amount of money and no matter of power changes that enduring American principle."

Trump did not speak to reporters following his arraignment. He plans to deliver remarks when he returns home to Florida.