Trump’s historic court appearance BEGINS
Donald Trump was placed under arrest by U.S. Marshals after entering federal court with his loyal aide Walt Nauta ahead of his historic appearance in front of a judge over the scheme to keep classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
The former president’s motorcade left Trump National Doral Miami and took off on the journey downtown where hundreds of MAGA supporters and protesters were there to greet him.
A short time later the motorcade went underneath the court, where Trump was processed and fingerprinted. The booking procedure wrapped up shortly before 2:30 p.m.
Shortly before 3 p.m. the hearing started in front of magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, where the 37 federal charges will then be read to him.
Special Counsel Jack Smith was seated in the front row of the courtroom, while the former president was seated with his lawyers.
Former President Donald Trump gave a brief wave to a group of supporters lined up outside his golf course before the stream of black SUVs and cop cars began their procession along empty highways
Supporters of former President Donald Trump wait for his arrival Tuesday at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami, Florida as police circle the building
The 76-year-old is facing 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents that included U.S. nuclear secrets and intelligence on foreign countries
A short time later the motorcade went underneath the court, where Trump will be processed and fingerprinted before he has the 37 charges read to him
Trump posted on Truth Social while sat in the motorcade on his way to the courthouse
Donald Trump has left his Miami hotel on his way to his historic appearance in a federal courthouse on charges he wilfully mishandled the nation’s biggest secrets
During the drive Trump shared his fury with a Truth Social post saying: ‘ON MY WAY TO COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA.’
He gave a brief wave to a group of supporters lined up outside his golf course before the stream of black SUVs and cop cars began their procession along empty highways.
Nauta, the loyal aide who prosecutors say helped Trump move documents around Mar-a-Lago, was in the motorcade with him awaiting his own appearance in front of the judge.
The 76-year-old is facing 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents that included U.S. nuclear secrets and intelligence on foreign countries.
The allegations were revealed in the bombshell federal indictment unsealed on Friday – and included photos of boxes of sensitive files scattered around Mar-a-Lago.
His supporters and protesters started swarming the courthouse on Tuesday morning, waiting for his showdown with a judge.
Trump brought a number of loyal aides to Miami with him including Jason Miller, Boris Epshteyn and Margo Martin.
Outside the courthouse, Trump lawyer Alina Habba blasted the prosecution – as well as Trump probes underway in other jurisdictions. ‘Destruction of the longstanding American principles that have set this country part for so long.
In recent years, we have seen the rise of politically motivated prosecutors who don’t care for impartiality don’t care for due process for equal protection of laws,’ she said.
Alina Jabba (right), a lawyer for former President Donald Trump, arrives at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse in Miami Tuesday as th ex-president appears in federal court
Trump aide Margo Martin checks her phone outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse in Miami
Trump lawyer Alina Habba gives a thumbs up outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami Tuesday
‘They have been quietly, but aggressively cultivating a two-tiered system of justice. From the Russia hoax to the attorney generals to the corrupt Das in Georgia and New York. And now this. The people in charge of this country do not love America. They hate Donald Trump.’
Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy called on all presidential candidates to vow they would pardon Trump during a press conference outside.
He said that he would quash any conviction against the former president for mishandling classified documents, obstructing justice and making false statements
Trump, meanwhile, took to his Truth Social platform to rail against Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the Department of Justice’s case.
‘This is the Thug, over turned 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 complained.
There were only a handful of people on hand early in the morning but officials expected that number to increase as the time of Trump’s arrival got closer.
One of the early arrivals was a group wearing ‘Blacks for Trump’ t-shirts.
Another man, wearing the American flag, carried a stick with a pig’s head through it.
Many of Trump’s supporters were coordinating their movements on Twitter.
Kari Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate who is a huge supporter of the former president, tweeted that she will be joining protesters Tuesday.
Reporters lined up to get one of the 300 seats in the overflow room inside the courthouse. Only 20 journalists and members of the public will be let inside the actual courtroom where Trump will be arraigned.
Meanwhile, Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday found that 81 percent of Republicans thought the charges against Trump were politically motivated.
The poll also found that Trump still leads his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination by a wide margin.
About 43 percent of Republicans said Trump was their preferred candidate, compared to 22 per cent who picked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s closest rival.
Department of Homeland Security police investigate a loading dock area for the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse before the arraignment of former President Donald Trump Tuesday
The former president’s motorcade left Trump National Doral Miami and took off on the 25-minute journey downtown where he will be processed and fingerprinted before he is read the bombshell charges against him
Cops cleared the highway as his motorcade made the journey to the court for his second appearance in front of a judge in three months
Members of law enforcement wearing riot gear ride at the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami ahead of Donald Trump’s arraignment
A Trump opponent carries a pig head on a stick outside the Miami courthouse where the former president will appear on Tuesday afternoon