Politics
Trump arrives at U.S. District Courthouse in Miami to face federal charges
The former president lashed out against the Justice Dept. investigation into his handling of classified documents as a “witch hunt” while his U.S. Secret Service and Miami Metropolitan police motorcade escorted him to the courthouse
June 13, 2023 2:43pm
Updated: June 13, 2023 2:44pm
Former President Donald Trump’s motorcade left his Doral resort and is arrived at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. District Courthouse for the Southern District of Florida, in Miami at about 2:20 p.m.
Traffic was crowding outside the West Miami resort before Trump’s motorcade exited the hotel.
The former president lashed out against the Justice Dept. investigation into his handling of classified documents as a “witch hunt” while his U.S. Secret Service and Miami Metropolitan police motorcade escorted him to the courthouse.
“ON MY WAY TO COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA,” Trump wrote on Truth Social just before 2 p.m.
Trump, 76, is expected to plead not guilty to 37 charges related to his alleged storing of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago mansion in Palm Beach after he left the presidency in January 2021.
His aide Walt Nauta is also being prosecuted because he purportedly helped the former president relocate boxes within the residence in an attempt to conceal them from his attorneys who were reporting the documents’ whereabouts to the Justice Dept.
Nauta traveled to the federal courthouse independently, Tuesday afternoon.
Federal prosecutors have vowed not to handcuffed Trump or take a mug shot of the former president.
A judicial notice of court appearance was filed by attorney Chris Kise, who represents the international businessman and his real estate company.
The notice means he will represent the former president in the case, according to reports that surfaced confirmed Tuesday morning.
ABC News confirmed that both Kise and another lawyer, Todd Blanche, who is representing Trump in his New York criminal case, would be present at Tuesday’s proceedings.
Trump was forced to reassemble his legal team last week when his two primary lawyers, John Rowley and Jim Trusty, resigned after he was indicted on 37 counts by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
Trump is scheduled to leave the courthouse immediately after he enters a plea to return to Bedminster, New Jersey on his private jet. He is planning on celebrating his 77th birthday the following day, June 14.
