Donald Trump told the world that America "is going to hell" in a defiant speech from the ballroom of his Mar-a-Lago resort following his arrest in Manhattan, capping a day of high drama that put the former president centre stage as he plots a return to the White House.

In a choreographed rally-style appearance, Mr Trump said the case against him was "an insult to our country" and insisted he had not committed any crime just hours after being charged over alleged hush money for affairs paid to a porn star, glamour model and former doorman.

Despite being warned earlier about his rhetoric in court in New York, Mr Trump lashed out at the judge overseeing his criminal case, calling him the "real criminal".

The 76-year-old had arrived in his "Trump Force One" private jet after he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a New York court, a moment that plunged the US into uncharted territory and threatens to overshadow the 2024 presidential race.

At his beachfront mansion in southern Florida, against a backdrop of two American flags, he told an audience of several hundred supporters: "I never thought anything like this could happen in America.

"The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it. It's an insult to our country."

In a speech revisiting many of his favoured claims about his political rivals, he suggested he lost the 2020 vote unfairly "because our country is going to hell".

Mr Trump went on to rail against the judge who oversaw his arraignment, Justice Juan Merchan, calling him "a Trump-hating judge".

The attack came despite Mr Trump being specifically warned about his use of inflammatory rhetoric in court.

Mr Trump had earlier faced a total of 34 felony charges of falsifying business records and pleaded not guilty to all of them during a 45-minute hearing.

Prosecutors said Mr Trump had “orchestrated a 'catch and kill' scheme” to “purchase negative information” about himself, and then "went to great lengths to hide this conduct".

They alleged that payments included $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have a story about Mr Trump fathering a child out of wedlock.

The indictment related to a “conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election” and also involved a $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, prosecutors said.

Justice Juan Merchan told the court he was “concerned” about Mr Trump’s rhetoric in the lead-up to the hearing, in which the former president used social media to attack both the judge and prosecutor Alvin Bragg.

The judge asked all parties to "please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest".

But in a fiery primetime address in Florida, Mr Trump unleashed a fresh wave of attacks against Justice Merchan and his family.

He had more harsh words for Alvin Bragg, the Manhattan District Attorney spearheading the criminal case against him, as well as prosecutors leading other cases against him.

"I have a Trump-hating judge with a Trump-hating family, whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris," Mr Trump said to loud boos from the crowd. 

The speech, in an opulent gold-and-cream ballroom, focused on "radical Left" prosecutors.

Of Mr Bragg, an elected Democrat,  Mr Trump said he was the "real criminal" and accused him of "massive election interference" by bringing a prosecution that could stretch through the 2024 campaign.

“This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," he said, before railing against Mr Bragg's wife. 

Mr Bragg is prosecuting Mr Trump for falsifying records to hide payments for porn star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election, to cover up an alleged sexual encounter a decade earlier. 

Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any affair with Daniels, and claims the payments were made to protect his family. 

The affair was alleged to have occurred just after Mr Trump's third wife, Melania, gave birth to their son Barron. 

Mr Trump struck a more emotive tone as he discussed his “great family", pointing out his two eldest sons Don Jr and Eric, and then referencing his daughter Ivanka and his youngest son Barron.

"I have a great family, and they've done a fantastic job and we appreciate it," he said.

However several family members, including Melania, Barron, Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner appeared to be absent.

Mr Trump went through the litany of criminal investigations facing him, including probes into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his retention of classified documents after leaving office.

There were regular "boos" from the crowd as Mr Trump name-checked those who he believed were out to get him "at any cost."

The event at Mar-a-Lago marked the first time the Republican has invited journalists into his Florida home since his November presidential announcement.

The celebratory mood in the room in Palm Beach, Florida seemed at odds with the gravity of the day's events, with Mr Trump reprising the applause lines that his supporters hear regularly at his rallies.

However the 25-minute speech was incredibly brief by Mr Trump's usual standards, focusing on a litany of grievances that verged on rambling at times.

Mr Trump wrapped up his remarks by saying: “I have no doubt, nevertheless, that we will make America great again.”

There was jubilation from supporters who stood clapping.

And outside, a crowd of people decked out in “Trump won” flags and clothes emblazoned with the ex-president’s name, cheered and blared music after closely following his remarks.