Former United States President Donald Trump arrived in federal court in Florida on Tuesday (June 13) for a historic, high-risk appearance: He is to be charged with his negligent handling of state secrets after leaving the White House. .
The 76-year-old billionaire, who dreams of returning to the head of the United States in 2024, is summoned before a judge in Miami at 3 p.m. (9 p.m., in Paris) to be notified of the thirty-seven charges against him. After having undergone the same formalities as any defendant, including a fingerprinting, he should plead not guilty in this potentially very damaging case for his campaign.
He is accused of endangering the security of the United States by keeping confidential documents, including military plans and information on nuclear weapons, in toilets or storerooms of his luxury club in Mar-a-Lago , in Florida. He is also accused of having refused to return these documents despite court injunctions, which led to him being charged with “illegal retention of information relating to national security”, but also for “obstructing justice” and “false testimony”.
A few dozen protesters in front of the court
Since his questioning, the Republican has denounced “a set-up” orchestrated to keep him out of the way of American President Joe Biden (Democratic Party), also in the running for a second term. A few hours before the hearing, he renewed his criticism of the “Ministry of Injustice” and the special prosecutor, Jack Smith, in charge of the case, whom he described as “thug” and “moody”. At the same time, his campaign team has multiplied emails to his supporters to encourage them to contribute financially to his defense.
Despite the strong protests of his allies, who have relayed his speech massively in recent days, only a few dozen demonstrators had moved to the Miami court on Tuesday to protest against his indictment. Wearing a blonde wig, a reference to Mr. Trump’s hair, or more often a red “Make America Great Again” cap, they denounced the lawsuits against the former president in front of an army of journalists.
This is the first time that a former American president has been charged at the federal level and the local authorities have taken steps to avoid any overflow. But Donald Trump has already experienced the ordeal of a court appearance: in early April, he was indicted by New York State justice for several accounting frauds in connection with a payment made before the 2016 presidential election to shut up an X-film actress, who says she was his mistress.
This time again, he will have to submit to the same formalities as any person implicated by justice: deliver his address, his social security number, his fingerprints… According to a judicial source, a photo of him will be recorded in the computer system. court, but will not be made public. And unlike what happened in New York, no journalist will be able to film or take pictures of him inside the court. Donald Trump, however, made an appointment with his followers in New Jersey the same evening, for a speech scheduled for 8:15 p.m. (2:15 a.m. Wednesday, in Paris).
Other investigations threaten Donald Trump
In the United States, a law requires presidents to send all their emails, letters and other working documents to the National Archives. Another prohibits keeping state secrets in unauthorized and unsecured places. When he left the White House in January 2021, Donald Trump nevertheless took away dozens of boxes full of files.
According to the indictment, they were stacked in several easily accessible places, including a ballroom or restrooms, and moved repeatedly. In January 2022, after several reminders, the former president agreed to return boxes containing nearly 200 classified documents, but kept some secretly. To retrieve them, FBI agents conducted a spectacular search of Mar-a-Lago on August 8, 2022 and seized another 30 boxes, containing 11,000 documents.
Donald Trump is probably not done with legal problems. A Georgia prosecutor is due to announce the outcome of her investigation into his pressure to try to change the 2020 presidential election by September. Jack Smith is also investigating his role in the assault on the Capitol. , January 6, 2021. As for the criminal trial of the former president in New York, it could be organized in early 2024, in the middle of the Republican primaries, of which he is currently the big favorite.
