Ex-President Donald Trump has appeared in court to become the first ever US president to face federal charges
The businessman was brought before Judge Jonathan Goodman, where he denied 37 counts of illegally retaining classified documents and obstructing the US governmentâs efforts to get them back.
His appearance kickstarted a legal process that will unfold at the height of the 2024 presidential campaign and carry profound consequences as he bids to recapture the White House.
Ahead of his arrival at the Miami federal court, officials had prepared for possible unrest by crowds that officials estimated could number in the thousands.
But whether it was a show of how far his personal appeal to voters had fallen in the States, his supporters failed to show in any great strength.
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This live blog has now ended. Recap the action from today, below
Dominic Santana is taken into custody outside of the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. federal courthouse, after a man was seen rushing towards the motorcade carrying Donald Trump, as it departed the courthouse in Miami, Florida.
Dominic Santana is taken into custody (Getty Images)
Trump waves as he makes a surprise visit to the Cuban restaurant Versailles after his arraignment.
Trump waves as he makes a visit to the Cuban restaurant Versailles a (Getty Images)
Trump’s legal woes deepened further today when a judge in New York let his sexual abuse victim E Jean Carroll to amend her original defamation case against him.
The author sought at least £8 million more in damages from the former president for comments he made after their civil case verdict last month.
In May, Carroll had been awarded £4 million when the tycoon was found liable for an attack on her in a New York department store in the mid-1990s.
But she applied to amend a second lawsuit against him, arguing Trump “doubled down” on derogatory remarks about her during his appearance at a town hall event on CNN the day after the verdict.
E. Jean Carroll leaves court in Manhattan in April following testimony in her rape, sexual abuse and defamation civil case lawsuit against Trump (zz/Andrea Renault/STAR MAX/IPx)Pictures show the costumed protester running in front of Trump's motorcade and being apprehended by police.
A demonstrator is surrounded by police after running in front of a motorcade of vehicles carrying former US President Donald Trump (AFP via Getty Images)
Trump makes surprise stop at Versailles restaurant in Florida (sky news)The Associated Press reports that, as the hearing continued after his not guilty plea was entered, Mr Trump sat at the table scowling with his arms crossed.
Trump is speaking to supporters and local politicians inside a Cuban restaurant as his motorcade makes an unexpected stop.
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It was clearly planned by the ex-President.
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Trump makes surprise stop at Versailles restaurant in Florida (sky news)MSNBC news broadcasts an aerial video of a protester in a black and white striped prisoner costume running in front of Trump's motorcade.
They are holding a sign and get right in front of the car before law enforcement tackle them and drag them to the sidewalk.
wow, a protestor jumps in front of Trump's motorcade and is taken away by police pic.twitter.com/jBQPUEaMk3
— manny (@mannyfidel) June 13, 2023
Trump's motorcade is being filmed from the sky as it leaves the courthouse.
Police can be seen detaining one protester, dressed in a black and white striped prisoner costume as a number of people attempted to run up to the ex-President's car.
Trump will now make his way to his luxury golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, having heard the charges against him and pleaded not guilty to each of the 37 counts.
CBS News ancho NOrah O'Donnell tweeted: "We learned that Trump will not be surrendering his passport, and there will be no limitations placed on Trump’s domestic or international travel.
"Trump will be held on a personal assurity bond that has no dollar value. He will also not be allowed to talk with his codefendant Walt Nauta specifically about the facts of the case.
"@RobLegare reports there was 10 minutes of back and forth between the judge and Trump's defense team about a special condition concerning contact with witnesses in the case, Walt Nauta."
At his arraignment, Trump wore a red tie and sat stony-faced through the proceedings
Entering the former president’s plea, Trump lawyer Blanche told the judge: "We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty.”
Trump and his aide, Nauta, have both been released without restrictions.
A judge ruled on Tuesday that the pair do not pose a flight risk and do not have to put up a cash bond.
Prosecutor David Harbach told the judge that the government “does not view either defendant as a flight risk.”
This is thought to be the case because Trump, who owns his own private plane, still has Secret Service protection.
Walt Nauta, left, takes a phone from Former President Donald Trump during the LIV Golf Pro-Am at Trump National Golf Club, (AP)Trump arrived at the courthouse via an underground tunnel, kept from public view.
By 2.05pm after being arrested by the FBI, he, along with co-defendant Walt Nauta, had completed the booking process before he then appeared in court.
He did not have his mugshot taken.
When asked by Judge Goodman how he pleaded, his attorney, Todd Blanche replied: "Not guilty, your honour".
It is understood his wife, Melania Trump, was in New York, although was unclear why.
Donald Trump has entered a not guilty plea.
Here are the full charges he's facing: Altogether, Trump is being charged with:
Walt Nauta, one of Trump's former aides, is also being charged in the indictment — he faces one count of providing false statements and representations.
Trump at his April court date in Manhattan with his legal team, expect a similar scene today in Miami (AP)Former President Trump has reportedly entered the courtroom for his arraignment.
He is expected to plead not guilty very shortly.
Judge Jonathan Goodman will read the 37 criminal charges against him, as well as the six charges his personal aide and co-defendant Walt Nauta is facing.
Special Counsel Jack Smith - who announced the historic federal indictment last week - is attending the hearing and is sitting in the front row.
The federal magistrate judge overseeing the arraignment has banned any photos or videos from being taken in the courtroom.
(AP)Senator John Thune has admitted that Trump's indictment won't help Republicans in the 2024 election cycle.
"I think if you look at the record, in ‘18, ‘20 and ‘22, when he’s the issue, we lose," he told journalist in Capitol Hill.
"I would rather have the issue be Biden and his policies," he continued. "And I think the way that you do that is, you get a different nominee, which is why I endorsed somebody else."
Thune said last month that he was endorsing his Senate colleague, Tim Scott of South Carolina, for the GOP presidential nomination.
Alina Habba, a lawyer and spokesperson for Trump who is not representing him in this case, has said that Trump is "defiant," as she criticises federal prosecutors who have charged him.
"Today is not about President Donald J. Trump, who is defiant," she claimed. "It is about the destruction of the longstanding American principles that have set this country apart for so long."
"The people in charge of this country do not love America. They hate Donald Trump," she said, adding that what is unfolding is a "blatant and unapologetic weaponization of the criminal justice system," she added.
Habba compared Trump to Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden, which experts have pointed out aren't similar, as she said that Trump is being held to a different standard and claimed it should "terrify" all Americans.
Alina Habba, an attorney and spokesperson for Trump (nbc news)Of the 37 charges the former President face in the investigation into the alleged misstoring of top secret government documents, obstruction is the most serious, according to legal experts.
Claire Finkelstein, the founder and faculty director of the Center for Ethics and the Rule of Law (CERL), at the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, says obstruction charges carry as much serious weight as the charges related to keeping the top secret documents - with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
She told ABC News this was not surprising, as the federal government has always treated allegations of interfering with any investigation seriously.
Altogether, Trump is being charged with:
Walt Nauta, one of Trump's former aides, is also being charged in the indictment — he faces one count of providing false statements and representations.
A pig head on a pole outside court where former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to appear in front of a judge (Getty Images)Trump is now under arrest and has been booked by deputy US marshals.
The booking process for both Donald Trump and co-defendant Walt Nauta has been completed, CNN reports from inside the courthouse.
(Getty Images)It is the second criminal case Mr Trump is facing as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024. He is also accused in a New York state court of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign.
Mr Trump has denied any wrongdoing, saying he is being unfairly targeted by political opponents who want to hurt his campaign.
Former President Donald Trump has arrived at the Miami courthouse where he is due to be arrested and processed before a history-making federal court appearance at 3pm today.
The controversial loudmouth ex-President faces 37 felony counts, according to the unsealed indictment records. He denies any wrongdoing.
Former President Donald Trump arrives at court (AP)Trump will be arrested, booked, and taken into custody prior to the start time of his court appearance.
He will be fingerprinted - but we are unlikely to see him in handcuffs or in a mugshot, as the Department of Justice only takes these precautions in cases where the defendant is not as high-profile.
While this is Trump's second court appearance in the last two months, Espionage Act charges carry far heftier potential jail sentences if he is convicted, and legal experts have deemed his New York trial minimally significant by comparison to this one.
Today's court session will be an arraignment — not to be confused with the full trial, which is scheduled for March 25, 2024.
Judge Cannon will explain the charges to the Republican politician and explain his right to an attorney and a speedy trial under the Sixth Amendment.
Trump will then submit his official plea, as will Nauta.
The businessman will likely be represented by attorneys Todd Blanche and Chris Kise as well as another to-be-named lawyer admitted to practice law in the southern district of Florida.
Blanche and Kise were hired after his former lawyers, Jim Trusty and John Rowley, quit last week.
Read more here
Trump has left his golf club in Doral and he’s now en route to the federal courthouse in Miami.
Shortly before leaving the club, he posted Truth Social. "One of the saddest days in the history of our country," the former president wrote in an all-caps message. "We are a nation in decline!!!"
The 40-year-old Naval veteran from Guam was in daily contact with Trump in the Oval Office and had lots of unusual duties - including organising the ex-President's meals and his outfits while travelling.
Nauta was previously senior chief culinary specialist in the Navy and part of the Presidential Food Service in the White House,
Last week Trump wrote on Truth Social that Nauta has "retired as Senior Chief, and then transitioned into private life as a personal aide.”
Walt Nauta, left, takes a phone from Former President Donald Trump during the LIV Golf Pro-Am at Trump National Golf Club, (AP)Prosecutors allege that Nauta was among those who packed items from the White House to be shipped to Trump's club in Florida.
It appears Donald Trump is looking to get the best out of his court appearance by requesting donations to his 2024 campaign on Truth Social
Posting a fake black and white mugshot he used when he appeared in court in Manhattan on unrelated charges, he has called on supporters to donate cash.
Hours before he will appear before a Judge, he has written: "I will NEVER, EVER SURRENDER the greatest country in history. Together, we SAVE our country.”
Donald Trump's social platform (AFP via Getty Images)He's also questioned the process, as he's questioned if special counsel Jack Smith will also look into Hilary Clinton’s handling of documents or into Joe Biden’s finances.
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez was swarmed by a crowd here supporting Trump.
Just moments ago: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez was swarmed by a crowd here supporting Trump. We quickly saw Miami Police arrive on bikes to break up the crowd and back up the mayor. pic.twitter.com/qY7fzHOrab
— Sabrina Maggiore (@SabrinaWFTV) June 13, 2023
Yesterday he said the city is ready to handle any protests, and that local law enforcement has experience handling large demonstrations.
He added: “In our city, we obviously believe in the Constitution and believe that people should have the right to express themselves. But we also believe in law and order. And we know that and we hope that tomorrow will be peaceful.
“We encourage people to be peaceful in demonstrating how they feel. And we’re going to have the adequate forces necessary to ensure that,” he said.
Mr Suarez, who is rumoured to be planning to enter the 2024 Republican presidential primary himself, said he has not spoken to Trump about his calls for protest.
“I have not spoken to him. I don’t have his phone number,” he said.
Trump urged his supporters to protest ahead of his court appearance on Tuesday, sparking concerns there could be a riot - but so far, it appears very calm.
"So far everything is very peaceful," NBC senior legal correspondent Laura Jarrett said on TV. "There have been a lot of chants of 'I love Trump' but they're not rowdy."
On Twitter, reporter Sabrina Maggiore added: "As for security, there is heavy police presence on North Miami avenue. We are seeing federal agents, Miami PD, and Miami-Dade PD. The city says they are prepared for crowds of between 5,000 and 50,000 people."
A pig's head on a stake outside the courthouse (AFP via Getty Images)In a surprise to no one, Donald Trump claims the prosecutor leading the case against him is a "radical right lunatic” and so are “all his friends and family” in a tirade.
Attacking special counsel Jack Smith on his Truth Social platform, Trump has claimed: “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!”
Miami Mayor Francis X. Suarez has urged people to arrive calm ahead of Trump arriving at the courthouse today.
"We want to make sure that the ... former president is able to get in and out safely," Suarez said. "We want to make sure that any of the rallies that happened pertinent to this event happened in a peaceful manner, without any unnecessary confrontations, either between the police and the protesters."
"We are a city that abides by law and order, and we’re not going to tolerate anyone who hurts someone else, or who damages people’s property," He added.
A supporter holds a cutout of former President Donald Trump outside the court (Getty Images)Police investigating a suspicious object have finished sweeping the area. Everyone is being allowed back in.
Federal officials are concerned there's no hardened barriers outside the court.
"We would have preferred ... a more hardened bike rack type situation," a U.S. Secret Service official told NBC News.
It's not about the former President's security - as much as the huge risk of a large crowd assembling, especially since Florida is a concealed carry state, the source said.
“You have a higher likelihood of people carrying weapons, so the slightest combustion point could very quickly escalate into some problems,” the official said, adding, “That’s why you want to have those pathways, which is our normal posture," referring to bike rack lanes.
"We understand that is their decision, and we respect it," the Secret Service official said. "It's Miami. They know the community best."
Miami Police investigate a suspicious package near the media area (Getty Images)Read more here
