Former President Dona;d J. Trump Trump Indicted on 37 Felony Counts

Former U.S. President Donald Trump was indicted on 37 felony counts on Friday, June 9, 2023, by a federal grand jury in the Southern District of Florida. The charges stem from Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left office in January 2021.

The indictment alleges that Trump “willfully retained national defense secrets in violation of the Espionage Act,” “made false statements” to investigators, and “participated in a conspiracy to obstruct justice.” The charges carry a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to fight the charges. He is scheduled to surrender to authorities on Tuesday, June 13.

The indictment is a major development in the ongoing investigation into Trump’s handling of classified information. It is also the first time that a former U.S. president has been indicted on federal charges.

The charges against Trump have been met with mixed reactions. Some have praised the Justice Department for taking action, while others have criticized the indictment as politically motivated.

The case is expected to be closely watched by legal experts and political observers. It remains to be seen whether Trump will be convicted and sentenced, but the indictment is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into his conduct.

Here are some additional details about the charges against Trump:

• The Espionage Act charge is the most serious charge in the indictment. It alleges that Trump “willfully retained national defense secrets” by keeping classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida.
• The false statements charge alleges that Trump lied to investigators about his handling of classified documents.
• The conspiracy to obstruct justice charge alleges that Trump and his aides conspired to block the government from obtaining classified documents that Trump had kept at Mar-a-Lago.

Here are some of the reactions to the indictment:

• Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr praised the indictment, saying that it “The evidence is damning. This indictment sends a strong message that no one is above the law.”
• One of the Republican Presidential Candidates, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, reacted to the indictment on CNN, “He has shown himself, and I think most particularly in his post-presidency, to be completely self-centered, completely self-consumed, and doesn’t give a damn about the American people, in my view, if what the American people want is in conflict with what Donald Trump thinks is best for him,”
• Senator Mike Rounds (R) of South Dakota, released a statement, “As a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I receive classified briefings multiple times per week. It is unacceptable that sensitive information, which could undermine our national strategy and security, has been treated so carelessly by current and former members of the executive branch… The unprecedented action of indicting in federal court a former president, who is also a current candidate for president, cannot be taken lightly as it is inherently political and will have a lasting impact on our nation. The burden of proof is on the Department of Justice to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. The former president should be considered innocent unless proven guilty.”
• Former U.S. President Donald Trump denied any wrongdoing and vowed to fight the charges. He said that the indictment was “a witch hunt” and that he was “the victim of a political prosecution.”

The case is expected to be closely watched by legal experts and political observers. It remains to be seen whether Trump will be convicted and sentenced, but the indictment is a significant development in the ongoing investigation into his conduct