Monitoring Desk
BEDMINSTER: Former US President Donald Trump has dismissed his indictment for mishandling official secrets as a “heinous abuse of power” as he addressed his supporters after pleading not guilty Tuesday to criminal charges. He said, today they witnessed the most evil and heinous abuse of power in the history of the United States. Very sad thing to watch,” the former President said following returning from the federal court to his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey, AFP reported.
Earlier, former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to criminal charges alleging he retained secret files after he left the White House. It’s alleged that US government classified documents were stored in a bathroom of his Mar-a-Lago estate. BBC reported that supporters of Trump have been protesting the indictment outside the federal court. The federal court hearing officially ended as the former President heard the charges against him and pleaded not guilty to each of the 37 counts.
Donald Trump made his way to the Federal Court in Miami to surrender himself to face charges of unlawfully handling government secrets, becoming the first president in US history to be indicted by a federal grand jury.
Outside the courthouse, a mixture of supporters and anti-Trump protestors gathered, waving flags and holding signs to express their differing opinions on the former president. The atmosphere was tense as people awaited Trump’s arraignment.
Trump’s motorcade, consisting of multiple black SUVs, police vehicles, and a motorbike officer, was captured on video as it entered the court compound and made its way underground. Trump will now undergo criminal processing as part of the legal proceedings.
Trump Expresses His Sentiments
Just before departing for the courthouse, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to express his sentiments about the situation, writing, “ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE!!!”
Meanwhile, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who served under Trump from 2018 to 2021, commented on the charges, stating that Trump’s handling of classified information after leaving office was “wrong.” In an interview with Fox News, Pompeo acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations and emphasized the importance of protecting America’s national security interests.
Pompeo’s remarks echoed previous criticisms from other members of the administration. Former Attorney General Bill Barr referred to the allegations as “very damning” and suggested that if even half of them were true, Trump’s situation would be dire. Additionally, former National Security Advisor John Bolton went as far as calling for Trump to withdraw his presidential bid and warned of the potential for a lengthy prison sentence.
