Former US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he has been indicted for his handling of classified documents after leaving office, marking a significant legal threat to his potential second White House term. Trump made the declaration on his Truth Social platform, stating that the Biden Administration had informed his attorneys of the indictment, which appears to be linked to the “Boxes Hoax.” The Justice Department has not yet confirmed Trump’s claim.
According to Trump’s attorney, Jim Trusty, the charges against him include willful retention of documents in violation of the Espionage Act, making false statements, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy, although specific details remain unclear.
Trump revealed that he has been summoned to a federal courthouse in Miami, scheduled just one day before his 77th birthday. Expressing disbelief, he stated, “I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States.” This revelation followed reports that federal prosecutors had notified Trump’s legal team of an ongoing investigation into his handling of classified documents. Previously, Trump became the first sitting or former president to be charged with a crime regarding hush money payments made to a porn star before the 2016 election.
In response to his initial online posts, the Trump campaign criticized what they deemed an “unprecedented abuse of power” and called for the indictment to be dismissed. Trump released a video asserting his innocence and framed the indictment as election interference by a Justice Department “weaponized” by the Biden administration. Supporters in Congress, including House Judiciary Committee chairman Jim Jordan and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, rallied behind Trump, denouncing the indictment and expressing their solidarity.
Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by US Attorney General Merrick Garland, has been investigating a cache of classified documents stored by Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida after leaving the White House. Obstruction-of-justice charges may arise from Trump’s resistance to efforts to recover the documents. Although Trump eventually handed over 15 boxes of classified documents to the National Archives in January 2022, he was subpoenaed for any remaining records in his possession. Smith’s spokesperson declined to comment on the charges.
With mounting legal woes, Trump now faces numerous other investigations as he seeks to become the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential race against President Joe Biden. Special counsel Smith is examining Trump’s potential involvement in the 2021 US Capitol riot, while Georgia prosecutors are investigating whether he illegally attempted to overturn the 2020 presidential election outcome in the state. In addition, Trump is already facing charges related to financial crimes in an alleged hush-money scheme, with a trial scheduled for March, coinciding with the primary election season.