Donald Trump was set to make his first court appearance Tuesday in a historic criminal case charging the former president with hoarding top secret government documents, boastfully displaying them to visitors and trying to hide them from investigators who demanded them back.
Trump approached his Miami court date with characteristic bravado, insisting as he has done through years of legal woes that he has done nothing wrong and was being persecuted for political purposes. But the gravity of the moment is unmistakable as he answers to 37 felony counts that accuse him of willfully retaining classified records that prosecutors say could have jeopardized national security if exposed.
"They're using this because they can't win the election fairly and squarely," Trump said Monday in an interview with Americano Media. As Trump's motorcade slowed to a crawl as it entered his Miami resort on Monday, a loud cheer went up from about 50 supporters who had gathered across the street. He flashed them a thumbs up as he passed and they waved their pro-Trump signs and banners.
It's unclear what defences Trump is likely to cite as the case moves forward. Two of his lead lawyers announced their resignation on the morning after his indictment, and the notes and recollections of another attorney, M. Evan Corcoran, are cited repeatedly throughout the 49-page charging document, suggesting that prosecutors may see him as a key witness.
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