Donald Trump arraignment LIVE: Former president lands in New Jersey

Alabama senator Tommy Tuberville has been spotted at Donald Trump’s golf club in Bedminister, New Jersey, where the former president is expected to make a speech later.

Tuberville at Trump’s event pic.twitter.com/mW7v3L4A0q

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT)

A plane carrying Donald Trump has landed in New Jersey.

The former president is due to make his way to the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, where he is expected to make a speech to supporters at around 8.45pm local time.

Donald Trump was sung Happy Birthday by his supporters in a Miami bakery after the former US president pleaded not guilty to all 37 charges related to classified documents.

Inside, a group of people greeted him and laid hands on him in prayer. Those in the room also sang “Happy Birthday” to Trump, who will turn 77 on Wednesday (local time).

6/13/2023 | Versailles Restaurant on Calle Ocho in Miami, Florida… pic.twitter.com/Ko996hshEf

— Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino)

Trump's motorcade has stopped at Cafe Versailles, a famous Cuban restauraunt in Little Havana.

Cell phones flew into the air as the former president stood among his fans, smiling for the slew of selfies.

Trump told the owner "food for everyone" and then the crowd burst into a rendition of happy birthday to the former president, who turns 77 tomorrow.

 Donald Trump is likely to travel to Bedminster, New Jersey, later today.

As Trump’s motorcade departed the courthouse, the former president’s security staff were seen tackling a man in the street who appeared to be a protester.

Following the conclusion of the arraignment proceedings former US President Donald Trump departed from the Miami courthouse.

Image: AP

The federal court hearing of former US President Donald Trump has ended. Trump's motorcade is now preparing to leave the Miami courthouse. 

Image: AP

Former US President Donald Trump's cavalcade prepared to leave the court soon. 

Image: AP

Trump's aid Walt Nauta also pleaded not guilty. Nauta is believed to be performing duel roles today - as a co-defendant in the case, and as Trump's personal valet. He has been a constant fixture on the former president's side.

"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," said GOP Presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy whilst speaking with Fox News.

🔥🔥🔥

JD Vance is one of the few Republicans in the US Senate who isn't afraid to stand up to Biden, Garland and the radical left. https://t.co/eAWZqpisl2

— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr)

"The next Republican president is going to be under tremendous pressure to bring charges and indict Joe Biden, his family" said Marco Rubio whilst talking to Fox News. He also referred to Biden as a "crackhead".

Chairs still being set up outside Bedminster, seats being reserved by name for the likes of Mike Lindell, Kash Patel, Brandon Judd and others pic.twitter.com/FnBLVf7uEb

— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith)

Now that former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty, the government will begin to reveal its evidence through the discovery process. Pretrial motions will be filed and argued. All of that will not happen immediately and will likely take months.

As the proceedings go on Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman said that there will be "no travel restriction on Trump and his aide Walt Nauta. He also made it clear that there is not need to present a cash bond.

After the embarrassing Durham report, and in light of the 3 years of hell they put us through with the fabricated Russia hoax, you would think they would stop these games https://t.co/PTMwYENbNS

— Eric Trump (@EricTrump)

Trump rode to court with his son Eric, who accompanied the motorcade from the former president’s Doral resort to the federal courthouse in Miami.

CNN aired footage of Trump walking to a line of SUVs with his son by his side while someone yelled, “Let’s go Trump!”

The former president could be seen stopping and waving at supporters, as well as chatting with staff members. Eric Trump appeared to clap his father on the back just before he climbed in a vehicle.

As he rode to court, Trump posted on his social media site that the case against him was a “witch hunt.”

Later, outside the courthouse Trump lawyer Alina Habba said, “Today is not about President Donald J. Trump, who is defiant.”

“It is not about the Republican Party, it is not about the 2024 election,” Habba added. “It is about the destruction of longstanding principles that have set this country apart.”

Source: AP

Image: AP

Former US President Donald Trump pleaded Not Guilty on 37 Federal counts. "We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Todd Blanche, Trump's lawyer said to the magistrate judge.

Former US President Donald J. Trump has entered the courtroom for his initial appearance, The New York Times reported. 

Republican leader Nikki Haley said that she will pardon Trump if she becomes the US President. "When you look at a pardon, the issue is less about guilt, and more about what’s good for the country and I think it would be terrible for the country to have a former president in prison for years because of a documents case. That’s something you see in a third-world country. I would be inclined in favour of a pardon but I think it’s really premature at this point when he’s not even been convicted of anything," Heley asserted, as per the report by NBC News. Earlier today she urged the US DOJ to investigate US President Joe Biden.  "The information coming out about the Bidens' alleged bribery calls further demonstrates the lack of trust in the DOJ and FBI. They need to release the recordings, and Biden needs to answer for them," she wrote on Twitter. 

The information coming out about the Bidens' alleged bribery calls further demonstrates the lack of trust in the DOJ and FBI.

They need to release the recordings, and Biden needs to answer for them.

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley)

An anti-Trump protestor wearing a prisoner costume approached Trump's cavalcade to express his opposition to Trump. He was pushed away by Miami police officers, as per a report from NBC.

Florida Senator Marco Rubio expressed his support for the former US President. "The DOJ is seeking to jail FOR LIFE not just a former President but the leading opponent of the current President in the 2024 election The damage this is already inflicting on our country far outweighs the damage (if any) from what they allege in the indictment," Rubio wrote on Twitter.

The DOJ is seeking to jail FOR LIFE not just a former President but the leading opponent of the current President in the 2024 election

The damage this is already inflicting on our country far outweighs the damage (if any) from what they allege in the indictment

— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio)

Attorney and spokeswoman, Alina Habba said that the nation is at a "Turning point". "The decision to pursue charges against President Trump, while turning a blind eye to others, is emblematic of the corruption that we have here," she said, repeating the president's claims that the charges are politically motivated. We are at a turning point in our nation’s history (with) the targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent." "We are at a turning point in our nation’s history (with) the targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent," she added. Habba is an attorney for Trump but she is not representing him in this case.

Ohio Senator JD Vance shared a video and said that he will block Biden's appointments to the US Justice Department. "Until Merrick Garland stops using his agency to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, I will hold all DoJ nominees," Vance wrote on Twitter. 

Until Merrick Garland stops using his agency to harass Joe Biden’s political opponents, I will hold all DoJ nominees. pic.twitter.com/UVRwi6Ue01

— J.D. Vance (@JDVance1)

Amid the ongoing legal proceedings against Trump, access to cameras inside the federal courthouse has been strictly prohibited. While a limited group of reporters will have the privilege of being present in the courtroom alongside him, an additional contingent of journalists will be situated in an overflow room nearby, observing the proceedings through a closed video feed. Notably, a recent order from the judge has implemented a fresh rule, effective for Trump's hearing today, which forbids journalists from utilizing laptops or cellphones, even for note-taking purposes.

Stanley Woodward, the lawyer representing Walt Natua arrived in the federal courthouse ahead of today's hearing, CNN reported. He entered the courthouse separately from Nauta, who travelled in Trump’s motorcade to the court. Attorneys for Trump, Chris Kise and Todd Blanche, are expected to appear with the former president during today’s arraignment. 

The lawyer tasked with leading former President Donald J. Trump's defence in the federal court hearing in Miami on Tuesday is already well acquainted with Trump World.

Attorney Todd W. Blanche is not new to representing Trump, as he is also involved in the ongoing criminal case against the former president in Manhattan, which revolves around hush money charges. Blanche's legal expertise was demonstrated in 2019 when he successfully secured the dismissal of state charges against Paul A. Manafort, who served as Trump's campaign chairman. Interestingly, Blanche's legal responsibilities extend beyond Trump's defence, as he also acts as the legal advisor for Boris Epshteyn, a figure known for controversial views, who has ties to the former president.

Todd W. Blanche, center, leaving a courthouse in Manhattan in April after the arraignment of his client, former President Donald J. Trump, Image: AP

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre reacted to Trump's arraignment proceeding of Former US President Donald Trump. She stated that the Department of Justice is an independent body and Biden wants to restore that independence.  "The Department of Justice is independent, he (Biden) wants to restore that independence,” Pierre said in a press briefing. 

A US Marshals spokesperson told The New York Times that "at 2:05 p.m. that the booking process for Trump and Nauta has been completed".

A look at the visuals of the moment Trump's motorcade entered the Miami Courthouse. 

Former President Donald Trump arrived at the federal courthouse in Miami to formally surrender ahead of his court appearance on charges accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. pic.twitter.com/xHiGGfLcAJ

— The Associated Press (@AP)

Former US President is placed under arrest by deputy US Marshals, CNN reported. Deputy marshals will book the former president and take electronic copies of his fingerprints at some point during today’s proceedings. They are not expected to take a mugshot of Trump given his recognisability. His aide and co-defendant, Walt Nauta, also will be taken into custody, fingerprinted and processed.

Image: AP

Just a moment before the former US President headed to the Miami courthouse, Trump took to his social media platform TruthSocial and called the whole ordeal witchhunt. "ON MY WAY TO THE COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA," former US president wrote on TruthSocial. 

Just one our before the court arraignment proceedings, the former US President's motorcade entered the Miami court House.

Image: AP

Former US President Donald Trump is on his way to appear in the Miami courthouse, where he is all set to face historic court charges. 

Image: AP

Thousands are here in Miami to protest the Witch Hunt against President Donald Trump pic.twitter.com/21hMksmuEQ

— Alex Sheppard 🇺🇸 (@NotAlexSheppard)

President Donald J. Trump's campaign has capitalized on the criminal charges levied against him to ignite fervor among his supporters and generate funds through a fundraising drive. 

Trump has a longstanding strategy of leveraging the multitude of criminal and civil investigations surrounding him and his company to rally his base and solicit financial support. The indictment earlier this year proved to be particularly rallying among his loyal supporters.

Following the state prosecutors in Manhattan filing charges against Trump in late March, his campaign reported a remarkable fundraising haul of $4 million within 24 hours. Over the subsequent two weeks, the campaign claimed to have received more than $15 million, representing a significant surge in fundraising efforts that had previously lagged during the initial months of his 2024 presidential bid.

Last week, shortly after Trump revealed that he had been indicted by the Justice Department for allegedly retaining classified documents post his tenure, his campaign wasted no time in launching donation appeals.

Beginning the email pitch with a dire statement, "We are watching our Republic DIE before our very eyes," the former president implored his supporters to contribute and stand with him in a peaceful manner, emphasizing the need to resist the perceived threat posed by the radical Left and reaffirm their unwavering commitment to the country.

Upon entering the building, Donald Trump will be apprehended and undergo the necessary arrest and processing procedures. It is anticipated that Deputy US Marshals will electronically capture Trump's fingerprints, while abstaining from taking a formal mugshot of the former president.

Subsequently, Trump and his legal team will make an appearance before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman for the purpose of his arraignment and initial appearance. During this phase, Judge Goodman will ensure Trump's understanding of his rights under the Sixth Amendment, particularly emphasizing the right to a speedy trial.

It is highly probable that Trump's attorneys will waive the formal reading of the indictment, and it is anticipated that the former president will enter a plea of not guilty to all 37 charges.

In a precautionary measure against potential witness tampering, federal prosecutors are expected to request that the magistrate judge impose restrictions on Trump's communication with any potential witnesses.

Pending trial, Trump will likely be released on personal recognizance, a non-financial bond relying on the defendant's verbal commitment to attend all future court proceedings.

Reports indicate that unlike his arraignment in New York, media won't be able to capture the moment Trump enters and leaves the court. 

Moments before leaving for the court, Donald Trump writes on social media that the US is a nation in decline.

The upcoming hearing will be presided over by Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, as per a report from New York Times. Meanwhile, the trial itself will be overseen by Judge Aileen M. Cannon, who was appointed by former President Trump. Why will Goodman be present today instead of Cannon? Well, because Magistrate Judges handle the routine and procedural aspects of court cases.

As the former US President braces himself for the court proceedings, he unleashed a fresh set of attacks against US special council Jack Smith. In his new post, Trump called him "Deranged". "Will Deranged Jack Smith be looking at the thousands of pages of documents that Biden had in Chinatown then, when caught, quickly sent up to Boston? What about the 1,850 Boxes that Biden is fighting to keep secret. How about Hillary’s 33,000 emails that she deleted and acid washed? Will he be looking at the $5,000,000 bribe that was paid to Biden but that the Justice Department is trying to hide? Much more coming on that! We are living in a Third World Country. No Borders, Rigged Elections!" the former US President wrote on TruthSocial 

Just 2 hours before Trump's court appearance Trump posted about the PGA tour. "I wonder if the PGA players who didn’t heed my advice and take the massive amounts of money that was offered to them by LIV Golf, feel somewhat “stupid” right now. I predicted a MERGER, and that is exactly what happened, but whether LIV succeeded or failed, what the hell did they have to lose (except for some bull…. fed to them by highly paid PGA executives!). Plenty, in fact, more money than they will ever be able to make again. Anyway, enjoy the game!" he wrote on TruthSocial. Trump is known as an avid golfer and have been praised multiple times for his golfing skills while he was the US president. 

Scenes outside Trump National Doral, Image: AP

Republican Congressman Ken Buck representing the state of Colorado, whilst speaking to CNN said that he won't support Trump if he is convicted.

Republican Senator from Texas Ted Cruz said that ht specifics of the indictment against the former US President are 'underwhelming'. Cruz gave out these remarks on his podcast "Verdict: Ted Cruz". Cruz pursued law at the Harvard Law School. "Having reviewed the specifics of the indictment, against Donald Trump, it's pretty underwhelming. There's not a lot of there," Cruz wrote on Twitter. 

Having reviewed the specifics of the indictment, against Donald Trump, it's pretty underwhelming.

There's not a lot of "there" there. #Verdict https://t.co/7BaGqdnHn4 pic.twitter.com/yOvm0JgIVy

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz)

(Image: AP)

Former US presidents will go through a similar booking process to what an average would citizen undergoes when they are arrested on federal charges. However, Trump will not have his mugshot taken during the procedure, CNN reported. Trump will be asked to fill out forms, providing his name, social security number and address. After this, his fingerprints will be taken digitally and not with ink. 

Speaking at Columbus, Georgia, Donald Trump said that "We got to stand up to the … radical left Democrats, their lawless partisan prosecutors … Every time I fly over a blue state, I get a subpoena". 

“I’ve put everything on the line and I will never yield. I will never be detained. I will never stop fighting for you,” he added.

"The Marxist left is once again using the same corrupt DoJ [justice department] and the same corrupt FBI, and the attorney general and the local district attorneys to interfere … They’re cheating. They’re crooked. They’re corrupt. These criminals cannot be rewarded. They must be defeated. You have to defeat them because in the end, they’re not coming after me. They’re coming after you and I’m just standing in their way."

Mocking the DOJ, Trump said, "the only good thing about [the indictment] is it’s driven my poll numbers way up”.

The Espionage Act is a United States federal law that was enacted in 1917 during World War I. Its primary purpose is to prohibit and punish certain acts of espionage, specifically those that involve the disclosure of classified information that could harm national security or aid an enemy of the United States. The Act has been amended and expanded over the years to address evolving threats and technological advancements.

The Espionage Act consists of several sections that outline prohibited activities, penalties, and definitions. Some key provisions include:

Section 793: This section criminalizes the unauthorized possession, communication, or transmission of information relating to the national defense that could be used to harm the United States or benefit a foreign government.

Section 794: This section deals with gathering or delivering defense-related information to a foreign government or its representatives, with the intent to harm the United States.

Section 798: This section focuses on the disclosure of classified communications intelligence information, including codes, ciphers, and cryptographic systems.

Violating the Espionage Act can have serious consequences. The Act allows for criminal prosecution, and individuals found guilty of its violations may face severe penalties, including imprisonment, fines, or both. The severity of the punishment depends on various factors, such as the nature of the offense, the potential harm to national security, and the intent of the individual involved.

The crowd outside the Miami court is increasing minute by minute as Trump supporters gather outside the courthouse. 

Crowd is growing at Miami Federal Courthouse ahead of President Trump’s 3pm arraignment. pic.twitter.com/u0oMz6z2L1

— Liz Willis (@LizWillis_)

According to CNN, there are a whopping 20 Trump supporters in front of the Miami federal courthouse right now. pic.twitter.com/5MeTVKfjiz

— Jon Cooper (@joncoopertweets)

The University of California, Los Angeles law professor Richard Hasen said that indictment and even conviction cannot stop Trump from running for office. “Nothing stops Trump from running while indicted, or even convicted,” Hasen told CNN. The constitution requires only three things of candidates;

• They must be a natural born citizen
• At least 35 years old
• A resident of the US for at least 14 years

Each charge that was unsealed in the indictment carries potential prison sentences, but the question remains if Trump will even be convicted. Each count related to Espionage Act violations carries a maximum sentence of up to 10 years. For the conspiracy and false statements charges, it’s five years per offence; for the obstruction charges, it’s 20. But as Trump is the candidate for the 2024 Presidency, the court’s options for jailing him pre-trial will be limited because as a political candidate, Trump would pose little flight risk.

Trump faces 37 counts related to the mishandling of classified documents, including 31 counts under an Espionage Act statute pertaining to the willful retention of national defence information. The charges also include counts of obstructing justice and making false statements, among other crimes.

Trump is accused of keeping documents related to “nuclear weaponry in the United States” and the “nuclear capabilities of a foreign country,” along with documents from White House intelligence briefings, including some that detail the military capabilities of the U.S. and other countries, according to the indictment.

Prosecutors allege Trump showed off the documents to people who did not have security clearances to review them and later tried to conceal documents from his own lawyers as they sought to comply with federal demands to find and return documents.

The top charges carry penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

Read the full report here

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton said that Trump's career can end because of the classified document case. He highlighted how the documents Trump was accused of hoarding had the potential to 'directly affect' the national security of the USA. “They did go to absolute, the most important secrets that the United States has, directly affecting national security, directly affecting the lives and safety of our service members and our civilian population,” Bolton said. “If he has anything like what … the indictment alleges, and of course, the government will have to prove it, then he has committed very serious crimes," Bolton asserted in an interview with Fox News. “This is a devastating indictment,” Bolton continued. “This really is a rifle shot, and I think it should be the end of Donald Trump’s political career.”

Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy urged the US Presidential candidate to pardon former US President Donald Trump if they become the president. He also pledged to do the same if he assumed the office.

"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 RFK. Not Scott. Not anyone. Principles over politics," Ramaswamy wrote on Twitter. 

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 RFK. Not Scott. Not anyone. Principles… pic.twitter.com/qYP3fUrE5R

— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy)

Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton said that the documents Trump retained, contained the most important secret documents Trump retained contained the most important secrets. "If he has anything like what the complaint, what the indictment alleges then he has committed very serious crimes. The documents Trump retained could contain the most important secrets we have, directly impacting national security and the lives and security of our military and civilian population," he wrote on Twitter. 

If he has anything like what the complaint, what the indictment alleges then he has committed very serious crimes. The documents Trump retained could contain the most important secrets we have, directly impacting national security and the lives and security of our military and…

— John Bolton (@AmbJohnBolton)

Trump's third national security advisor, John Bolton, has said that he sees "big trouble for Donald Trump" as the indictment of the former US President was unselaed.  "I think this is a potentially catastrophic turn of events for him," Bolton told Morning Edition's Steve Inskeep. "It certainly should be, because if proven in trial ... it should put Trump in jail for a long time," he warned. 

Former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton, known as Iron Hawk, during an interview, asked RNC [Republican National Commitee] to email a copy of the indictment to every registered Republican in the country. "And I would simply say, I'm not going to make a lot of arguments with them, just read the indictment and ask yourself: if the government can prove what they allege here, shouldn't this man go to jail?' Bolton, once a staunch supporter of Trump, asserted.

Former Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton has claimed that the classified documents that are in possession of Trump that he thought were ‘cool’ and were ‘souvenirs’ are sensitive material that could jeopardise the national security of the United States.

The DOJ unsealed the stunning indictment that has charged the former President of the United States with violating the Espionage Act.

It states that Trump is in possession of the documents on nuclear information, as well as classified information that includes the US plans for an attack on another nation. It also includes defending the US from an attack by an adversary. The indictment states that Trump also showed a classified map to someone who didn't have security clearance, as well as files relating to the US nuclear program, the CIA and the Pentagon. Trump had a “constant fixation” to hold on to documents,” according to Bolton. He, at times, didn't pay too much attention to a lot of what he was given. 

Former US attorney general William Barr said that the ex-Trump would be 'Toasted' if allegations against him are true. "I was shocked by the degree of sensitivity of these documents and how many there were... and I think the counts under the Espionage Act that he wilfully retained those documents are solid counts," Barr stated during an interview with Fox News on Monday. "If even half of it is true, then he's toast. It's a very detailed indictment and it's very damning," he added.

In his fresh social media rant just hours before his court appearance, the former US President called Jack Smith, Special Counsel for the United States Department of Justice,  a 'Thug'.  He also called Smith a "Radical Right Lunatic" and a "Trump Hater". "This is the Thug, overturned 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!,' he wrote on TruthSocial. 

Hours before his historic appearance in the US court, the former US President said that the Grand Jury was never told about the Presidential Records Act or about the Clinton 'Socks case'.  "THE GRAND JURY WAS NEVER TOLD ABOUT THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT OR THE CLINTON SOCKS CASE, BOTH EXONERATING!" Trump wrote on his social media platform TruthSocial. 

The Former US President who arrived from new jersey is scheduled to appear at the Miami federal courthouse on Tuesday around 3 pm EST (12:30 am IST). According to The New York Times, the billionaire turned politician is expected to fly back to his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., where he is planning to deliver remarks at 8:15 p.m.

Former President Donald Trump boards his airplane at Newark Liberty International Airport, Monday, June 12, 2013, Image: AP

Aileen M. Cannon is a judge at the US district court in Miami who has been assigned to handle the criminal case against the former president. Cannon is actually a Trump-appointed judge in the district court. Cannon could have a significant role in this case, including whether to set a trial date before the November 2024 election.

Trump appointee Judge Aileen Cannon, Image: United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

In just a few hours former US President Donald Trump will appear in Miami court for his indictment proceedings in the case related to the classified document case. However, Trump is the only one referenced in the indictment. Here's a look at the people mentioned in the indictment document. 

•  Walt Nauta - Nauta a loyal aide to the billionaire-turned politician is facing six criminal charges for allegedly moving boxes filled with top-secret government materials for Trump and for helping him to hide them when the FBI raided the Mar-a-Lago. 
• His attorneys and staffers - Multiple attorneys and staffers of Trump were mentioned anonymously in the indictment document. The lawyers and staffers were accused of enabling Trump in hiding the document. 
• Trump's Family members: One of Trump's family members was involved in the case as well. This person was accused of texting Nauta in May 2022 about boxes he had removed from the storage room at Mar-a-Lago. Nauta referred to her as “Ma’am.”

Ahead of his proceedings in Miami court over the classified document case, former US President Donald Trump called the current US President Joe Biden the "most corrupt president" in the history of the United States. In his social media rampage, the former US president went on to state that he will appoint a "real special prosecutor" to go after Trump. "Now that the “seal” is broken, in addition to closing the border & removing all of the “criminal” elements that have illegally invaded our country, making America energy independent, & even dominant again, & immediately ending the war between Russia & Ukraine, I will appoint a real special “prosecutor” to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the USA, joe biden, the entire Biden crime family, & all others involved with the destruction of our elections, borders, & country itself!," Trump wrote on TruthSocial. 

Preparations are underway in Miami ahead of former President Donald Trump's Tuesday appearance in federal court, city officials said at a news conference Monday.

(Image: AP)

We are working very closely with our federal, state and local partners to make sure we have a comprehensive approach" to maintain "peace and order," but also to allow people the right to express themselves, Miami Police Chief Manuel Morales said.

(Image: AP)

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez encouraged any demonstrators to be peaceful, adding that officials are prepared for large crowds outside the courthouse.

Nauta, a Navy veteran who fetched Trump’s Diet Cokes as his valet at the White House before joining him as a personal aide at Mar-a-Lago, now finds himself in legal jeopardy alongside the former president. He is accused of moving boxes from the White House at Trump’s direction and then lying about it to investigators.

Read the full report here.

On Tuesday afternoon (local time) in Miami, Donald Trump will make his second appearance before a judge on criminal charges, following an earlier hearing in April. However, unlike the New York case that, according to AP, was criticised by some legal analysts as relatively unimportant, the current prosecution by the Justice Department involves allegations of behaviour that, according to prosecutors, endangered national security. The charges brought against him under the Espionage Act carry the possibility of a substantial prison term.

Allies and supporters of Trump have desperately attempted to shift the focus of the arraignment to leaders like US President Joe Biden, former Vice President Mike Pence, and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, all who have been, at some point, embroiled in classified material debacles of their own. 

Read the full report here.

Trump slammed his former attorney general, Bill Barr, who over the weekend had criticized Trump for his alleged mishandling of presidential documents.

“Bill Barr is a failure in so many different ways. But he was a coward. And he didn't do his job," the former president said.

On the eve of his Tuesday arraignment in Miami, former President Donald Trump made rounds across key conservative media audiences and spoke out against the charges.

Trump told talk show host Howie Carr he would plead "not guilty" at his arraignment and not make a statement during his court appearance on Tuesday.

"I just say, ‘not guilty.’ I didn't do anything wrong. I did nothing wrong. Presidential Records Act. It's not even a criminal event. There's no criminality here. It's ridiculous," Trump said.

The indictment charges Trump and Nauta with conspiring to conceal the secret documents from the grand jury. The grand jury had issued a subpoena in May 2022, requesting Trump to surrender the documents, which prosecutors alleging that he conspired with Nauta to withhold.

As part of the conspiracy allegation, the indictment asserts that Trump suggested his lawyer provide false information to investigators, specifically denying the existence of any additional classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. The conspiracy also involved actions such as relocating boxes to conceal the secret documents from Trump's lawyer and proposing that the lawyer hide or destroy the documents that investigators were seeking. These allegations form part of the charges outlined in the indictment.

According to the indictment, Nauta, at Trump's instruction, transferred around 64 boxes of documents from a storage room at Mar-a-Lago to the former president's residence in May 2022. Subsequently, on June 2, Nauta returned approximately 30 boxes to the storage room. Remarkably, this coincided with the day when Trump's legal team arrived to inspect the boxes and identify any classified documents to be returned to the government, as stated in the indictment.

According to the indictment, Nauta had a brief phone conversation with Trump before returning the boxes to the storage room. However, neither Trump nor Nauta informed the former president's lawyers about Nauta's actions of moving the contents of the storage room.

Read the full report here.

Trump did not speak to reporters or cameras set up along his travel route Monday, but he posted repeatedly on his social media platform, Truth Social.

There, he pledged if he were elected to a second term in 2024, he would appoint a “real special ‘prosecutor’ to go after” his successor, US President Joe Biden, and “all others involved” with what Trump called “the destruction of our elections, borders and country itself.”

Trump was charged with 37 counts:

• 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information;
• one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice;
• one count of withholding a document or record;
• one count of corruptly concealing a document or record;
• one count of concealing a document in a federal investigation;
• one count of scheme to conceal;
• one count of false statements and representations.

651864905-US-v-Trump-Nauta-... by Anmol Singla

According to NBC, without a local lawyer to represent him in court, Tuesday’s appearance could be cut short.

As of 5 pm EST Monday, Trump and his co-defendant and personal valet, Walt Nauta, did not yet have an attorney named who was allowed to appear before judges in the Southern District of Florida, according to the court docket for his case.

Trump supporters were also planning to load buses to head to Miami from other parts of Florida, raising concerns for law enforcement officials who are preparing for the potential of unrest around the courthouse. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez said the city would be ready, and police chief Manuel A. Morales said downtown could see anywhere from a few thousand up to 50,000 protesters. He said the city would be diverting traffic and possibly blocking streets depending on crowd size.

“Make no mistake about it,” Morales said. “We are taking this event extremely serious. We know there is a potential of things taking a turn for the worse but that’s not the Miami way.”

After his court appearance, he will return to New Jersey, where he’s scheduled a press event to publicly respond to the charges. He’ll also be holding a private fundraiser.

On Tuesday afternoon (local time) in Miami, Donald Trump will make his second appearance before a judge on criminal charges, following an earlier hearing in April. However, unlike the New York case that, according to AP, was criticised by some legal analysts as relatively unimportant, the current prosecution by the Justice Department involves allegations of behaviour that, according to prosecutors, endangered national security. The charges brought against him under the Espionage Act carry the possibility of a substantial prison term.

Read the full report here.

Although Trump's initial court appearance on Tuesday is projected to occur before a magistrate judge in Miami. The assigned judge for the case is Aileen Cannon, who was appointed by Trump and has previously issued rulings that were favourable to him. Judge Cannon has also displayed consistent scepticism towards positions taken by the Justice Department in the past.

Last year, Judge Aileen Cannon faced widespread criticism for granting the request made by Trump's legal team to appoint a special master to independently review the numerous classified documents that were confiscated from his Florida property. This decision temporarily halted certain crucial aspects of the Justice Department's investigative efforts. However, several months later, a three-judge panel from a federal appeals court overturned the ruling.

Donald Trump being arraigned on 37 charges relating to the classified documents probe will not be a court drama that will be live-streamed. According to the website of  the Southern District of Florida court, “News reporters are not authorized to record or transmit in any way audio, still photography, or video from anywhere inside courthouses nor from inside courtrooms, including any lobby areas, of any building housing a federal court."

Trump is scheduled to appear in court at 3 pm on Tuesday, according to the website of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. 

After the hearing wraps up, the former US President will head to New Jersey to deliver a speech at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster, as per a statement released by his 2024 campaign. 

In a conversation with Roger Stone on WABC Radio, Trump said that his upcoming arraignment poses no circumstances “whatsoever” that can force him to quit the 2024 White House race. 

Walt Nauta, a Navy veteran who became Donald Trump's personal aide at Mar-a-Lago, could land in legal trouble as the former US President gets arraigned this week. He is facing allegations of moving boxes of classified docs and misleading investigators. 

Read the full story here. 

 As Donald Trump reached Miami, Florida, on Monday, thousands of people took to the streets to voice support for the embattled former US President. Take a look-

Trump supporters conduct a rally outside the Trump National Doral resort. (Image: AP) 

Supporters hold posters and chant pro-Trump slogans in unison. (Image: AP)  
 

From January 20, 2021, to June 13, 2023, take a look at everything that led to Trump being indicted last week. 

Read the timeline here. 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer emphasised that  “no one is above the law" as Donald Trump faces an arraignment on Tuesday. “This case must be allowed to play out through the legal process without outside political or ideological interference. I encourage supporters and critics of Donald Trump to maintain the peace and let the justice system do its work,” he said, according to CNN. 

Defending former US President Donald Trump ahead of a historic arraignment, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that at least a "bathroom door locks," referring to the classified documents that were found in the bathroom of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and simulataneously taking a dig at President Joe Biden.

"I don’t know. Is it a good picture to have boxes in a garage that opens all the time?" he remarked. "I think President Trump has not been treated equally like everybody else in this process. You raid one house and you don’t raid the other -- that's a little different, and that’s not fair," McCarthy added. 

The judge who will preside over Donald Trump's arraignment in the classified documents case on Tuesday has banned the presence of electronic devices such as cameras and mobile phones in the courtroom, NBC News reported. 

Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman has also dismissed a media request for limited camera access before the proceedings begin. Goodman justified the move by stating that “allowing photographs would undermine the massive security arrangements put in place.”

Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley told Fox News that if Trump's indictment is true, then the ex-US president was “incredibly reckless” in handling matters of national security. 

Her remarks are a sharp contrast to what she previously said. Just days ago, she said that indicting an erstwhile president is “not how justice should be pursued in our country”.

This is not how justice should be pursued in our country.

The American people are exhausted by the prosecutorial overreach, double standards, and vendetta politics.

It’s time to move beyond the endless drama and distractions.

— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley)

In a conversation with NBC News, Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez revealed that authorities are ready to manage the demonstrations that get triggered due to Trump's arraignment. Miami Police Chief Manny Morales said that crowds could range from 5,000 to 50,000 people. 

Remarking on the big figures, Suarez said: "The numbers that he put out there are numbers that indicate our readiness, right? It could be, you know, 1,000 people, it could be 5,000 people. But we're ready for anything upwards of beyond that and at scale."

In yet another rant on Truth Social, Donald Trump asserted that he will leave no stone unturned in going after US President Joe Biden and his family for inflicting damage to the country.

“I WILL APPOINT A REAL SPECIAL ‘PROSECUTOR’ TO GO AFTER THE MOST CORRUPT PRESIDENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE USA, JOE BIDEN, THE ENTIRE BIDEN CRIME FAMILY, & ALL OTHERS INVOLVED WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR ELECTIONS, BORDERS, & COUNTRY ITSELF!” he wrote. 

US First Lady Jill Biden said on Monday that it was “a little shocking” to see how GOP support for Trump has remained steadfast in spite of his recent federal indictment. “They don’t care about the indictment. So that’s a little shocking, I think,” she said, according to the Associated Press. 

Thousands of people gathered to witness Trump arrive at his Doral resort in Florida on Monday. Law enforcement officials cordoned off areas and braced for roaring crowds as the erstwhile US President gets arraigned on Tuesday. 

 A police officer helps with traffic control. (Image: AP)

Journalists document Trump's arrival in Florida. (Image: AP)

Federal Protective Service Police officers cordon off an area outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse. (Image: AP)

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a strong ally of Trump, stated on the House floor that she will try to amend an appropriations bill that will defund the office of special counsel Jack Smith, who indicted the former president last week.

"This is a weaponized government attempt to take down the top political enemy and leading presidential candidate of the United States, Donald J. Trump. We cannot allow the government to be weaponized for political purposes," Greene said, according to NBC News.

"We have to use the power of appropriations to stop the weaponization of government, especially in light that we know that there are others who are guilty of true crimes," she added. 

In a 12-minute conversation with Boston radio host Howie Carr, Donald Trump revealed that his mood was "fine" despite facing his second arraignment this year.  

Taking to his Truth Social platform prior to his arraignment day, Trump urged his followers to put a united front and "Make America Great Again." 

Appearing on the 'The Howie Carr Show', Trump denied any wrongdoing in the classified documents case and shared what he plans to say in court on Tuesday. "I'll just say 'not guilty.' I didn't do anything wrong," he revealed. 

Donald Trump reached Miami, Florida, on Monday in his private jet dubbed Trump Force One. The erstwhile US president waved and threw thumbs up gestures at his ardent supporters. Take a look at some of the glimpses of his arrival.

Trump arrives at Miami International Airport, Monday. (Image: AP)

Trump waves at large crowds as he boards his private aircraft. (Image: AP)

Trump gives a thumbs up as he arrives at his Trump National Doral resort. (Image: AP)

A motorcade for Trump passes through Lamington. (Image: AP)

Former US President Donald Trump arrived at the Miami International Airport on June 12, Monday, the eve of his arraignment in the classified documents case.