Former President Donald Trump arrived at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Building, Miami’s headquarters for federal courthouses, shortly before 2 p.m. on the East Coast. In the vicinity, hundreds of admirers demonstrated, and many less critics who asked to send him to jail. Florida is ‘Trumpist’ territory. An hour later he pleaded not guilty to misappropriation of secret documents, obstruction of justice and falsehoods.
Once he entered that building, Trump was arrested for the indictment against him of 37 federal charges for refusing to hand over secret documents, in which nuclear plans or US defensive vulnerabilities are specified, and trying to hide them and even destroy them. He removed them from the White House and stored them in his Mar-a-Lago mansion, many in places “as safe” as sinks or showers.
This second walk of shame, after the one in April in New York for the case of his alleged relationship with a porn actress, was quite different from the one that the vast majority of citizens in the same situation must overcome. His treatment, due to his condition as former president and Republican leader facing the lessons of 2024, had little to do with the usual, ordinary.
Although his fingerprints were taken (digitally), he was prevented from taking a walk exposed to the cameras, nor was his mugshot taken, nor were samples taken for DNA analysis. Cameras are prohibited inside federal courthouses. “It is a sad day for our nation, which is in decline,” he said on his social network.
Next to him appeared Walt Nauta, the military man who acted as personal assistant. Special prosecutor Jack Smith charges that he helped hide the boxes of documents by moving them between different rooms.
Once the entire criminal bureaucratic process was done, Trump appeared before the judge, where he pleaded “not guilty” as he has repeatedly repeated. At that time he was able to see for the first time face to face with prosecutor Smith, whom he has repeatedly insulted, calling him deranged, crazy or a thug.
Trump plans to fly back to his Bedminster, New Jersey, mansion, his summer residence. There he has called an act to raise funds for his campaign, where he will give his version of what happened, an issue that he already anticipated last Saturday at two rallies.
