WASHINGTON: An unprecedented moment in American history unfolded on Tuesday when former President Donald Trump surrendered before a federal courthouse in Miami to face charges under the espionage act for illegal possession and mishandling of classified information, including US nuclear capabilities, sensitive communications with foreign leaders, and nuclear proficiency of an unnamed foreign country.
Trump was taken into custody by US Marshals and photographed and fingerprinted — but not handcuffed — before being presented in front of a magistrate around 3pm. He was released immediately on his personal word to be present to stand trial.
The former President, who has already been indicted by the Manhattan district attorney’s office on charges related to hush money payments to an adult film worker, has said the federal charges by the US Justice Department are politically motivated, while maintaining it was within his rights to take the declassified information with him since he had declassified it.
But the argument has cut no ice with special counsel Jack Smith who charged Trump in a 37-count indictment last week, alleging that Trump not only mishandled classified documents brought to his Mar-a-Lago resort but also engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. Trump’s aide Walt Nauta was also charged in the indictment and appeared in court alongside the former president.
As he was driven to the courthouse, Trump posted a message on his social media platform saying, “ON MY WAY TO COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA.”
The indictment itself appears to suggest Trump knew he was in the wrong as he sought to tell aides to withhold or conceal the documents while making false statements. In all, Trump has been indicted on 37 counts, including 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information, a crime that carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
Ahead of his arraignment, Trump also raged against Smith, who has a sterling reputation as a prosecutor, saying “This is the Thug, over turned consistently and unanimously in big cases, that Biden and his CORRUPT Injustice Department stuck on me.”
“He’s a Radical Right Lunatic and Trump Hater, as are all his friends and family, who probably “planted” information in the “boxes” given to them. They taint everything that they touch, including our Country, which is rapidly going to HELL!” Trump fumed on social media, mistakenly writing Radical Right when he meant to say Radical Left.
Trump supporters also sought to vilify Smith, bringing into the picture his wife, who reportedly has directed a documentary on Michelle Obama, and is a supporter and donor to the Democratic party and President Biden.
Ahead of his surrender, a motley crowd of Trump supporters protested near the courthouse, carrying placards and waving American flags. But apprehensions about large-scale protests numbering in the thousands and possible violence appeared overblown as a few hundred demonstrators largely made a peaceful spectacle of themselves.
Among those to draw the spotlight was Indian-American Republican presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy, who turned up in Florida and pledged to pardon Donald Trump if he (Ramaswamy) is elected.
“I challenge every US Presidential candidate to join me in standing for TRUTH. Commit to pardon Donald Trump for these federal charges on Day 1, or explain why you won’t. No one should hide. Not Biden. Not DeSantis. Not Haley. Not Pence. Not anyone. Principles over politics,” Ramaswamy said, adding, “Lady Justice does not wear an eye patch, she wears a blindfold. We must not have two tiers of justice in this country depending on your political beliefs.”
Ramaswamy said he has filed Freedom of Information Act Request seeking release all communications surrounding the “political indictment” of Trump.
A Trump attorney also made a statement to cameras outside the court premises saying, “The people in charge of this country do not love America. They hate Donald Trump.”
“The targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent is the type of thing you see in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela,” Trump Attorney Alina Habba said.
Trump was taken into custody by US Marshals and photographed and fingerprinted — but not handcuffed — before being presented in front of a magistrate around 3pm. He was released immediately on his personal word to be present to stand trial.
The former President, who has already been indicted by the Manhattan district attorney’s office on charges related to hush money payments to an adult film worker, has said the federal charges by the US Justice Department are politically motivated, while maintaining it was within his rights to take the declassified information with him since he had declassified it.
But the argument has cut no ice with special counsel Jack Smith who charged Trump in a 37-count indictment last week, alleging that Trump not only mishandled classified documents brought to his Mar-a-Lago resort but also engaged in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. Trump’s aide Walt Nauta was also charged in the indictment and appeared in court alongside the former president.
As he was driven to the courthouse, Trump posted a message on his social media platform saying, “ON MY WAY TO COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA.”
The indictment itself appears to suggest Trump knew he was in the wrong as he sought to tell aides to withhold or conceal the documents while making false statements. In all, Trump has been indicted on 37 counts, including 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information, a crime that carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
Ahead of his arraignment, Trump also raged against Smith, who has a sterling reputation as a prosecutor, saying “This is the Thug, over turned consistently and unanimously in big cases, that Biden and his CORRUPT Injustice Department stuck on me.”
“He’s a Radical Right Lunatic and Trump Hater, as are all his friends and family, who probably “planted” information in the “boxes” given to them. They taint everything that they touch, including our Country, which is rapidly going to HELL!” Trump fumed on social media, mistakenly writing Radical Right when he meant to say Radical Left.
Trump supporters also sought to vilify Smith, bringing into the picture his wife, who reportedly has directed a documentary on Michelle Obama, and is a supporter and donor to the Democratic party and President Biden.
Ahead of his surrender, a motley crowd of Trump supporters protested near the courthouse, carrying placards and waving American flags. But apprehensions about large-scale protests numbering in the thousands and possible violence appeared overblown as a few hundred demonstrators largely made a peaceful spectacle of themselves.
Among those to draw the spotlight was Indian-American Republican presidential aspirant Vivek Ramaswamy, who turned up in Florida and pledged to pardon Donald Trump if he (Ramaswamy) is elected.
“I challenge every US Presidential candidate to join me in standing for TRUTH. Commit to pardon Donald Trump for these federal charges on Day 1, or explain why you won’t. No one should hide. Not Biden. Not DeSantis. Not Haley. Not Pence. Not anyone. Principles over politics,” Ramaswamy said, adding, “Lady Justice does not wear an eye patch, she wears a blindfold. We must not have two tiers of justice in this country depending on your political beliefs.”
Ramaswamy said he has filed Freedom of Information Act Request seeking release all communications surrounding the “political indictment” of Trump.
A Trump attorney also made a statement to cameras outside the court premises saying, “The people in charge of this country do not love America. They hate Donald Trump.”
“The targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent is the type of thing you see in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela,” Trump Attorney Alina Habba said.