Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty on Tuesday (June 13) to all charges against him during his historic federal court appearance in Florida, and when he faces indictment for his negligent handling of state secrets after leaving the White House.
“Undoubtedly we plead not guilty”his attorney Todd Blanche said during the hearing. This paves the way for a potentially very damaging trial for his campaign for the 2024 US presidential election. The 76-year-old billionaire was summoned before a judge in Miami at 3pm (9pm, in Paris) who served notice the thirty-seven charges brought against him. The former president remained silent throughout the hearing, his face closed, crossing and uncrossing his arms. He left the court shortly after.
He is accused of endangering US security by keeping classified documents, including military plans and information about nuclear weapons, in the restrooms or storage rooms of his upscale club in Mar-a-Lago, Florida. He is also accused of refusing to return these documents despite court orders, which led to him being charged with “illegal retention of information relating to national security”, but also with “obstruction of justice” and “perjury”.
Looking brave, Donald Trump enjoyed a stroll as he left the courthouse at a Cuban restaurant, an iconic gathering place for Republican activists in Florida. “I think it’s going well”he said as his followers sang happy birthday to him — a day early. He is expected to speak to his followers in New Jersey at 8:15 pm (2:15 am Wednesday in Paris).
A few dozen demonstrators in front of the courthouse
Since his interrogation, the republican denounces “a setup” orchestrated to keep him away from US President Joe Biden (Democratic Party), who is also running for a second term. A few hours before the hearing, he renewed his criticisms of the “Ministry of Injustice” and the special prosecutor, Jack Smith, in charge of the case, who described how “bad boy” AND “moody”. At the same time, his campaign team has been emailing his supporters to encourage them to contribute financially to his defense.
Despite strong protests from his allies, who have massively relaunched his speech in recent days, only a few dozen demonstrators went to the Miami courthouse on Tuesday to protest against his indictment. The head covered by a blonde wig, in reference to Mr. Trump’s hair, or more often by a red cap “Make America Great Again”they denounced the lawsuits against the former president before an army of reporters.
It is the first time that a former American president has been indicted at the federal level and local authorities have taken action to avoid any overflow. But Donald Trump has already lived through the ordeal of a court appearance: In early April, he was indicted by New York state justice for multiple accounting frauds related to a payment made before the 2016 presidential election to silence an X-film actress, who says she was his mistress.
This time too he will have to submit to the same formalities as any person implicated by justice: hand over his address, his tax code, his fingerprints… According to a judicial source, a photo of him will be registered in the computer system. court, but will not be made public. And unlike what happened in New York, no journalist will be able to film or photograph him inside the courthouse.
More investigations threaten Donald Trump
In the United States, a law requires presidents to send all their emails, letters and other working documents to the National Archives. Another forbids keeping state secrets in unauthorized and unprotected places. When he left the White House in January 2021, Donald Trump still took away dozens of boxes full of files.
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According to the indictment, they were stacked in several easily accessible places, including a ballroom or bathroom, and moved several times. In January 2022, after several reminders, the former president agreed to return boxes containing nearly 200 classified documents, but kept some of them secretly. To recover them, FBI agents carried out a spectacular search of Mar-a-Lago on August 8, 2022 and seized about 30 more boxes, containing 11,000 documents.
Donald Trump is probably not done with the legal problems. A Georgia prosecutor is expected to announce the outcome of her investigation into pressuring him to try to change the 2020 presidential election by September. Jack Smith is also investigating his role in the storming of the Capitol. , January 6, 2021. As for the criminal trial of the former president in New York, it could be organized in early 2024, in the middle of the Republican primaries, of which he is currently the big favorite.
