Former US President, Donald Trump, yesterday pleaded not guilty to 37 charges related to his handling of classified documents at his Florida Mar-a-Lago.
Trump, first former US president to face federal charges pleaded not guilty to all counts. This second indictment comes just months after Trump was charged by a Manhattan grand jury in a separate hush-money case.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in both cases and has vowed to stay in the 2024 race despite the charges.
Trump’s lawyers asked for a jury trial during the former president’s arraignment yesterday at a federal courthouse in Miami.
“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche told the judge.
Before the arraignment, deputy marshals booked the former president and took electronic copies of his fingerprints. They did not to take a mugshot of Trump since he is easily recognizable. The booking process took about 10 minutes.
Trump’s aide and co-defendant, Walt Nauta was also arrested, fingerprinted and processed.
The criminal charges in the Justice Department’s classified documents case escalates the legal jeopardy surrounding the 2024 GOP front-runner.
His appearance kickstarted a legal process that will unfold at the height of the 2024 presidential campaign and carry profound consequences as he bids to recapture the White House.
Trump and his co-defendant and loyal aide Walt Nauta, have both been released without restrictions as Judge Goodman ruled neither posed a flight risk and did not have to put up a cash bond.