On Tuesday, Donald Trump faced and pled not guilty to the federal charges brought against him. No United States President besides the 45th has ever directly faced federal charges. At approximately 2 p.m. ET, Trump appeared at a Miami federal court, handed himself over, and was processed. His formal reading of charges is scheduled for 3 p.m. ET. The day before his 77th birthday, Trump will hold a presidential fundraiser at his residence in Bedminster, New Jersey, after his court appearance is over. As a prominent contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, Trump confronts 37 charges associated with claims that he retained hundreds of confidential documents following his departure from the White House, and resisted handing them back to federal archivists.
The charges against him include willful retention of national defense information; conspiracy to obstruct justice; withholding a document or record; corruptly concealing a document or record; concealing a document in a federal investigation; scheme to conceal; and false statements and representations. Walt Nauta, a Trump aide and joint defendant, is also slated for a formal reading of charges on Tuesday. Naut arrived at the courthouse with Trump, surrendered, and was processed as well. In anticipation of the court events, local law enforcement enhanced their security measures in Miami. Throughout the day, a mix of Trump’s supporters, critics, and protesters assembled outside the federal courthouse.
