Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he mishandled top secret classified information and obstructed justice after leaving the White House.
Trump arrived at the Miami courthouse Tuesday afternoon, following a historic indictment brought by the Justice Department alleging he willfully mishandled top-secret government documents and conspired to stymie US officials’ efforts to recover them.
Trump, who is making a comeback bid for the White House, is the first former president who has faced federal criminal charges. Trump, who appeared wearing a navy blue suit, white shirt and red tie, pleaded not guilty to all 37 counts against him. Trump’s attorney, Todd Blanche, entered the plea on his client’s behalf before the federal magistrate judge.
“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Blanche said.
Prosecutors claim Trump kept highly sensitive papers at his Mar-a-Lago resort, some of which they say address nuclear programs and military attack plans. The indictment accuses Trump of 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act, which carry prison sentences as long as 10 years. Other charges carry up to 20-year maximum terms.
Read More: Trump Heads to Court to Start Fighting Espionage Act Charges
Trump, the leading candidate for the Republican nomination for next year’s presidential race, has denied wrongdoing and assailed the case as politically motivated. He has called it a “ridiculous and baseless” case and “a disgusting act of election interference by the ruling party.”
Ahead of the arraignment, Trump was taken into custody and had his fingerprints taken; he wasn’t required to have his mug shot taken, according to court officials.
Trump is being represented by attorneys Todd Blanche and Chris Kise, at least for now; a person familiar with the situation previously told Bloomberg News that the former president is exploring other options to bring on Florida counsel.
He is appearing before US Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. Following the initial hearing in Miami, the case will move to the West Palm Beach division of the south Florida federal district court; US District Judge Aileen Cannon already has been assigned to preside going forward, barring a recusal fight.
Read More: Trump’s Own Words Play a Star Role in the Case Against Him
Trump faces mounting legal threats as he pursues a second term. The federal case against him, brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith, follows a New York state criminal case set for trial in Manhattan in March. That prosecution is over hush money payments made to a porn star just ahead of the 2016 election Trump won. He has pleaded not guilty and said it’s part of a larger political effort to take him down.
Trump also faces potential state charges in Georgia for allegations he interfered in the 2020 election result and federal charges related to the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
The case is US v. Trump, 23-cr-80101, US District Court, Southern District of Florida (Miami).
Read More: What Trump’s Many Legal Perils Mean for His 2024 Bid: QuickTake
(updates with more details from plea hearing)
