Donald Trump pleads not guilty in arraignment over classified documents

Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to historic charges of mishandling sensitive files at a federal court in Miami, Florida.

Mr Trump is the first US president – current or former – to be hit with a federal criminal indictment.

He appeared sombre and subdued in court, sitting in a dark suit and red tie with his arms crossed.

This was the second time Mr Trump appeared in court this year, but Tuesday’s case was more serious.

In a 13th floor courtroom, a lawyer for Mr Trump entered a plea of not guilty on 37 counts of illegally retaining classified documents and obstructing the government’s efforts to get them back.

“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” the attorney, Todd Blanche, told the judge.

Mr Trump’s co-defendant, Walt Nauta – a close aide charged with six criminal counts in the case – was sitting at the same table as the former president. Mr Trump did not address the judge directly, occasionally leaning over to speak to one of his attorneys.

On the opposite side of the room sat the entire prosecution team, including special counsel Jack Smith, who announced the indictment last week.

The former president, 76, was allowed to leave court without any restrictions to domestic or international travel.

Prosecutors told Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman the defendant was not considered a flight risk.

But Mr Trump will not be allowed to discuss the case with Mr Nauta.

After the hearing, the Republican flashed supporters a thumbs up as his motorcade drove away from the courthouse.

He and his security detail drove directly to Versailles, a popular Cuban restaurant in Miami’s Little Havana, where he was greeted by a throng of supporters who lined up for photos with the former president.

Mr Trump appeared to take part in a prayer with some patrons, and was treated to a chorus of Happy Birthday to You, ahead of his 77th on Wednesday.

The frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination was driven to court by motorcade from the Trump National Doral resort where he spent the night. He was accompanied by one of his sons, Eric Trump.

During the drive, several messages were posted to his account on the social media platform Truth Social, including one in all capital letters saying: “One of the saddest days in the history of our country. We are a nation in decline!!!”

Alina Habba, a lawyer attorney for the former president, repeated the former president’s claims that the charges were politically motivated as she addressed media outside court.

“We are at a turning point in our nation’s history, the targeting prosecution of a leading political opponent is the type of thing you see in dictatorships like Cuba and Venezuela,” she told reporters.

“What is being done to the President Trump should terrify all citizens of this country,” she added.

Before the hearing, court officials said Mr Trump would not have a mugshot taken but would be digitally fingerprinted and asked to submit a DNA sample by swab.

A trial date has not yet been set, though the case is still earmarked for Aileen Cannon, a federal district judge in South Florida who was appointed by Mr Trump.

The former president, who has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, is expected to return to his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey, where he will make remarks to the media.

Small crowds of Trump supporters and counter-protesters gathered outside the court.

City authorities had prepared for possible unrest, but Mayor Francis Suarez told reporters on Tuesday afternoon there had not been any security problems.

The charges, which were made public on Friday, came after FBI agents found more than 100 documents with classified markings at Mr Trump’s private Florida estate Mar-a-Lago in August.

They allegedly contained information about the defence and weapons capabilities of both the US and foreign countries, as well as plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack.

Prosecutors accuse him of hoarding the files, storing some in a ballroom and a bathroom, and of engaging in a conspiracy with an aide to obstruct the FBI’s inquiry.

Mr Trump’s legal troubles appear not to have diminished his support among Republican voters.

A poll by the BBC’s US partner CBS found 76% of likely Republican primary voters were more concerned about the indictment being politically motivated than about the documents posing a national security risk.

In an interview with a Spanish-language radio programme on Monday, Mr Trump accused the Biden administration of weaponising law enforcement agencies against him.

Protocol dictates that the Department of Justice, the federal agency that enforces US law, should operate independently from the White House. President Joe Biden said last week: “I have never once – not one single time – suggested to the justice department what they should do.”

Legal experts say the criminal charges could lead to substantial prison time if Mr Trump is convicted. He has vowed, however, to continue his campaign for president whatever the verdict.

Mr Trump’s court appearance is his second in less than three months. He was arraigned in April in New York on charges that he falsified business records for a hush-money payment to a porn star ahead of the 2016 election.