Former US President Donald Trump has arrived in Florida ahead of a court appearance on Tuesday in connection with the mishandling of classified documents that he carried with him while leaving the White House in January 2021.
On June 9, the Department of Justice (DOJ) indicted Trump with 37 counts in the case, including willful retention of national defence information that ranges from the country’s nuclear weapons to attack plans for foreign countries; conspiracy to obstruct justice; withholding a document or record; corruptly concealing a document or a record; concealing a document in a federal investigation; scheme to conceal; and making false statements and representations.
Trump, who is the first former American President to face federal charges, flew in to his Trump Doral resort near Miami on Monday evening from his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
The former President who is campaigning to make a return to the White House in 2024 and has denied any wrongdoing, appeared muted but unflustered as he strolled into the BLT Prime restaurant at the resort, the BBC reported.
Trump greeted guests at the steakhouse with his signature thumbs-up, and even posed for a photo with a group of men.
“With you all the way,” shouted one patron seated at the bar, to which Trump replied, “thank you very much”, before security escorted him to the dining area.
Meanwhile, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez told reporters that the city was preparing for Trump’s court appearance.
Police will be deployed in anticipation of crowds up to 50,000 people, the BBC quoted the Mayor as saying.
“We encourage people to be peaceful,” Suarez added.
On June 10, a day after he was indicted, Trump said the case amounted to “election interference” by the “corrupt” FBI and the DOJ.
The former President will appear in court alongside a close aide, Walt Nauta, who was charged and faces six criminal counts related to the alleged handling of national security documents.
The two are scheduled to make their initial appearances at 3 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon (12.30 a.m. Wednesday IST).
A federal judge has denied a request by news organisations for photo and video access during Tuesday’s hearing — though a court sketch artist will be present.
Later, Trump is expected to return to Bedminster to make remarks to the media, the BBC reported.
The 49-page indictment details the former President’s “reckless” treatment of classified documents — he showed them to people without the necessary security clearance on two occasions, and his attempts to withhold them from FBI investigators despite grand jury subpoenas.
The indictment shows — with photographs — these boxes were stored in publicly accessible places in Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, which has been his home — in the ballroom, bathrooms, and the business centre.
The document also contains transcriptions of audio recordings of the former President’s remarks in which he acknowledges that the documents he is showing to people are classified and that he cannot and should not be doing that.
According to legal experts, criminal charges could lead to substantial prison time if Trump is convicted.
But the former President has vowed to continue his campaign for a second term at the White House no matter what the verdict is.
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