The former US president flew to the southern city from his New Jersey golf club to be arrested over an alleged conspiracy to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results.
“I have to start getting ready to head down to Atlanta, Georgia,” he told his social media followers earlier today, “to get ARRESTED by a Radical Left, Lowlife District Attorney, Fani Willis, for a PERFECT PHONE CALL, and having the audacity to challenge a RIGGED AND STOLLEN (sic) ELECTION.”
Officials in Atlanta cleared roads for Mr Trump’s journey from the airport to the jail.
After making the short drive in a motorcade followed by news helicopters, he arrived at about 7:30pm local time (9:30am AEST).
A form lodged in the Fulton County Jail records listed the charges against Mr Trump, identifying him as a 6’3″ (1.92-metre) white male with blond or strawberry hair and blue eyes.
Before his arrest, Mr Trump’s lawyers had negotiated the conditions of his immediate release from the Fulton County Jail, including bail of $US200,000 ($312,000).
After the short booking process, during which he had his mugshot taken, Mr Trump left the jail.
It was a first for the former president, who was not photographed for any of his previous arraignments.
His motorcade returned to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where he gave a short statement to reporters gathered on the tarmac, repeating the sentiment that his indictment was a “sad day for America” as well as false claims of a stolen election.
Mr Trump is among 19 people charged over an alleged criminal racket designed to overturn Joe Biden’s crucial win in the state.
They were charged by a grand jury on Monday last week, and ordered to “voluntarily surrender” to Fulton County Jail by midday on Friday, local time.
Many of Mr Trump’s co-defendants, including prominent lawyer Rudy Giuliani, turned themselves in earlier in the week. His former White House chief of staff, Mark Meadows, surrendered earlier today.