Trump Pleads not Guilty to 37 Counts of Felony in the Federal Case Involving Classified Documents

Tuesday, former President Trump entered a not guilty plea to 37 felony charges related to his management of classified documents and alleged attempts to prevent the government from recovering them.
This is the first time a president of the United States has been charged with a federal offence. If found culpable, he could be sentenced to decades in prison.

ABC News reported that Trump, dressed in a navy suit and red tie, sat slouched in his chair with his hands held in his lap while awaiting the arrival of the judge. His attorney waived a reading of the 49-page indictment, and he spent most of the hearing looking at the floor.

According to CBS News, special counsel Jack Smith sat in the front row and intently observed President Trump. Smith remained silent.

Trump’s counsel, Todd Blanche, stated to federal Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, who presided over the arraignment, that the defendant would plead not guilty.

According to news reports, Trump was released on his own recognisance, was not required to surrender his passport, and is still permitted to travel internationally. Goodman commanded that Trump not discuss the case with his personal assistant and co-defendant, Walt Nauta, or with witnesses.

Trump, who is once again pursuing the Republican presidential nomination, returned to his Bedminster, N.J., golf club on Tuesday night for a private fundraiser, where he delivered a campaign speech containing a series of falsehoods about the government, the indictment, and his other legal troubles.

On election day, he promised to “completely destroy the deep state” and warned that “justice will be served.”

It was initially unclear whether a date had been set for his next hearing.

On Friday, after a yearlong investigation, the Justice Department unsealed the indictment against the former president, charging that he illegally took classified records when his presidency ended in 2021, and then obstructed the government’s efforts to retrieve hundreds of the secret documents — some of which were related to U.S. nuclear weapons operations and national defence vulnerabilities.

According to the indictment, Trump stored the documents in unsecure areas of his Florida estate, including a lavatory, a ballroom and a storage room. The Mar-a-Lago property is a private club that annually accommodates tens of thousands of guests.

According to the indictment, the top-secret and other classified records recovered by the FBI after a subpoena and a search of the property included information on U.S. and foreign nuclear and other defence and weapons capabilities, potential vulnerabilities of the U.S. and its allies to military attack, and plans for possible retaliation in the event of such an attack.

In addition, the indictment describes two instances in which Trump discussed and shared classified information with individuals who lacked security clearances.

Trump is charged with willful retention of national defence information, obstruction of justice conspiracy, withholding documents or records, corruptly concealing documents during a federal investigation, conspiring to conceal, and making fraudulent statements and representations.

Trump called Smith a “thug” and accused him, his associates, and his family of planting evidence in the case in a post on his Truth Social platform published hours before his appearance. In addition, he questioned why Smith had not examined allegations against President Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, which Smith is not authorised to review.

Nauta is charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding documents or records, concealing documents in a corrupt manner during a federal investigation, conspiring to conceal, and making fraudulent statements and representations. His arraignment was postponed for several weeks due to his inability to retain local counsel.

The case has been allocated to federal Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee who was criticised last year for ruling in his favour and assigning a special master to review the seized classified documents. The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals overturned her judgements, which delayed the investigation by several weeks, on the grounds that she never had the legal authority to intervene.

Last week, Smith stated that he would pursue a swift trial. This will primarily depend on Cannon, who has considerable control over the trial schedule, jury selection, and admissible evidence.

At the arraignment, Blanche and colleague attorney Chris Kise represented Trump. After the former president’s indictment was made public on Friday, his previous legal team resigned.

Trump was arrested when he turned himself in to federal authorities on Tuesday, prior to his arraignment. A spokesman for the U.S. Marshals Service told the Associated Press that the agency had sufficient photographs of Trump and therefore did not take a registration photo. Trump’s digital fingerprints, birth date, and Social Security number were documented, according to the spokesman.

This is Trump’s second appearance in court this spring to submit a not-guilty plea. In March, he was indicted in New York City on charges related to an alleged payment of hush money to a porn actor in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign. In addition, there are two ongoing criminal investigations into his role in the 2020 election interference.

Rep. Salud Carbajal (D-Santa Barbara) implored citizens to pay attention to the case.

“Today cannot be regarded as just another day in the typical frenzy surrounding the shocking words and actions of Donald Trump. The charges filed against the former president include severe violations of our national security and serious obstruction of justice evidence. In a statement, Carbajal said that the seriousness of the case would be readily apparent if it were filed against someone else.

Trump and his allies have repeatedly referred to the allegations as a witch hunt aimed at preventing him from regaining the presidency in 2024.

Monday, he stated in a social media post that, if elected, he would appoint a “special ‘prosecutor’ to go after” Biden and his family. The authority to appoint a special counsel resides with the U.S. attorney general, not the president.

Monday at a news conference, Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales stated that his officers were prepared for a multitude of up to 50,000 people outside the courthouse on Tuesday. However, the few hundred protesters and counter protesters who showed up were outnumbered by the media.

The only view of the day’s events for most Americans will be the circus-like atmosphere outside the courtroom. The magistrate judge denied media outlets, including The Times, permission to photograph and film the unprecedented proceedings. The senior U.S. judge for the Southern District of Florida, Cecilia Altonaga, prohibited reporters from bringing any electronic devices into the courtroom.

Outside of the courthouse, supporters of the former president shouted “Free Donald Trump!” and “USA!” while brandishing “Make America Great Again” flags. Opponents displayed signs reading “Trump, you are not above the law” and “31 counts of espionage/Lock him up!”

During his arraignment, Trump’s campaign issued a fundraising appeal and vowed that he would never withdraw from the 2024 race.

Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, made incendiary remarks outside the courthouse, repeating false claims made by the former president’s other surrogates.

“Those in authority in this nation do not adore America. They despise Donald Trump, she stated.

As Trump’s motorcade departed, a man wearing prison stripes and holding an orange sign that read “Lock him up” charged it and was soon apprehended.

As soon as he left the courthouse, Trump resumed his campaigning by visiting a Cuban restaurant where his supporters were congregated. On Wednesday, some restaurant patrons sang “Happy Birthday” to the former president, who will be 77 years old.