Former President Trump Enters Not Guilty Plea During Arraignment for Handling Classified Files

Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to a series of historic charges related to mishandling sensitive files during a court appearance in Miami, Florida. 

This marks the first time a current or former US president has faced a federal criminal indictment.

While he will not be subjected to a mugshot, he is expected to provide digital fingerprints and a DNA sample through a swab.

The severity of this case distinguishes it from Trump's previous court appearance earlier this year. As Mr. Trump arrived at the Wilkie D Ferguson Jr court in downtown Miami, small groups of both his supporters and counter-protesters gathered outside.

During the proceedings, the former president denied 37 counts of illegally retaining classified documents and obstructing the government's efforts to recover them. Accompanying Trump was his close aide, Walt Nauta, who faces six criminal charges related to the same case.

Before his arraignment, Trump was driven from the Trump National Doral resort, where he had spent the night, to the court. Throughout the drive, messages were posted on Trump's social media platform, Truth Social, including one emphasizing the perceived decline of the nation.

Alina Habba, a lawyer representing the former president, addressed the media outside the court, reiterating Trump's claims that the charges were politically motivated. She compared the situation to targeting political opponents seen in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela, expressing concern for all citizens.

Instead of a new booking photo, officials at the court confirmed that the US Marshals Service would use a previously taken photo of Trump. Following the court appearance, Trump is expected to return to his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he plans to address the media.

The charges against Trump were made public after FBI agents discovered over 100 documents with classified markings at his private estate, Mar-a-Lago, in August. Allegedly, these documents contained sensitive information about US and foreign defense capabilities, as well as plans for potential retaliation in response to foreign attacks. Prosecutors accuse Trump of hoarding the files, storing some in unusual locations such as a ballroom and a bathroom, and conspiring with an aide to obstruct the FBI's investigation.

Despite these legal troubles, Trump's support among Republican voters remains strong, and he is currently the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024. A recent poll conducted by the BBC's US partner CBS showed that 76% of likely Republican primary voters were more concerned about the charges being politically motivated than about potential national security risks posed by the documents.

During an interview with a Spanish-language radio program, Trump accused the Biden administration of weaponizing law enforcement agencies against him. While protocol dictates that the Department of Justice should operate independently from the White House, President Joe Biden asserted that he had never attempted to influence the agency's actions.

Legal experts suggest that if convicted, Trump could face significant prison time as a result of these criminal charges. However, he has vowed to continue his presidential campaign regardless of the verdict.

This court appearance marks the second time within a span of three months that Trump has faced legal proceedings. In April, he was arraigned in New York on charges related to falsifying business records for a hush-money payment to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.