Former President Donald Trump was seen smiling and waving at his supporters on the street from his motorcade after he was arrested on 37 counts of mishandling classified documents on Tuesday, June 13. Trump was arrested and arraigned in a federal court in Miami on Tuesday, just days after he was indicted in the case on June 8. Trump pleaded “not guilty” to all of the charges.
Trump was seen in the backseat of a black van, and he had a huge smile on his face. His supporters lined the streets to protest his arrest and arraignment. He also seemed to give a thumbs up in another shot. After his arrest, he made an unannounced stop at the restaurant Versailles to greet supporters.
Views of Trump before and after the hearing were few and far between. Cameras and other recording devices were not allowed in the courthouse. While he was briefly seen leaving the Doral Golf Club, his motorcade pulled into an underground garage before he surrendered for arrest.
Trump was seen heading into the courthouse, where he’ll be fingerprinted and possibly receive a mugshot, although he did not receive a mugshot when he was arrested in New York City in April. The former president was charged with 37 counts in the classified documents case including making false statements, conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record, concealing a document in a federal investigation, scheme to conceal, and 31 counts of willful retention of classified documents. Trump’s aide Walt Nauta, who had previously been a valet in the White House, was also indicted on six counts for assisting.
The former president is expected to plead “not guilty” to the charges, and they will go to trial. He has denied any wrongdoing in regard to classified documents, and fought back in a statement through his 2024 presidential campaign website. “I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM. I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States, who received far more votes than any sitting President in the History of our Country, and is currently leading, by far, all Candidates, both Democrat and Republican, in Polls of the 2024 Presidential Election. I AM AN INNOCENT MAN!” he said. “This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America. We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!”
Shortly after Trump was indicted, Jim Trusty and John Rowley, two of his lawyers resigned from the case on Friday, June 9, per NBC News. Neither divulged specific reasons why they were stepping away from the case, but said that it was a “logical moment.”
Trump’s arrest in Florida comes two months after he was arrested in New York in April. He was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records, including one for the alleged hush money payment to adult star Stormy Daniels. The former president has denied having had a relationship with Daniels, and he pleaded “not guilty” to the case. He’s also currently the subject of a grand jury investigation in Georgia for his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Whether the district attorney will press charges is expected to be announced over the summer.