Donald Trump said he's being 'persecuted' because he's leading in the polls and ripped into the 'filth' in Washington, D.C., after pleading not guilty in a federal court to four criminal charges for his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

'When you look at what's happening, this is a persecution of a political opponent,' Trump said to reporters without taking questions after arriving at Reagan National Airport following his third arraignment in six months. 

This was never supposed to happen in America. This is the persecution of the person that's leading by very, very substantial numbers in the Republican primary and leading Biden by a lot. So if you can't beat him, you persecute them or you prosecute him. We can’t let this happen in America.'

On Tuesday, a grand jury indictment accused him of spreading 'lies' and 'sham' investigations while stoking an 'angry' mob on January 6. He is also accused of using 'unlawful means' to try and cling onto power after his defeat to Joe Biden and spreading 'lies' that sparked violence during the riot.

The former president faced a federal judge Thursday afternoon who read out the four federal charges against him that carry a combined maximum sentence of 55 years in prison. 

Trump also ripped into the 'filth' and 'decay' in Washington D.C.

This is a very sad day for America and it was also very sad driving through Washington D.C. and seeing the filth and the decay and all of the broken buildings and walls and the graffiti,' Trump said after entering his not guilty plea. 

His loyal aide Walt Nauta, who has been charged in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, held an umbrella over his boss as he spoke to the press before taking a flight on Trump Force One back to his New Jersey golf club.

Magistrate Judge Upadhyaya set the next hearing for August 28 - five days after the first Republican presidential debate - and warned Trump not to try and influence jurors.

Outside the court, his attorney Alina Habba called the case 'election interference at its finest' and said every raid or indictment against the former president came just 24 hours after a Biden scandal. 

On his way to the arraignment, the former president vented on Truth Social about being arrested while the Biden family was 'stealing millions' in alleged bribes from foreign countries.