A federal grand jury has indicted former US President Donald Trump on charges of retaining classified government documents and obstruction of justice, among other crimes.
The indictment alleges that Trump, while still in office, took classified documents from the White House and stored them at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The indictment also alleges that Trump obstructed justice by trying to interfere with the investigation into his actions.
What is an indictment?
An indictment is a formal accusation that a person has committed a crime. It is a document that is issued by a grand jury, which is a group of people who are tasked with deciding whether or not there is enough evidence to charge someone with a crime.
What are the charges against Trump?
Donald Trump, 76, has been charged with seven crimes including willful retention of documents in violation of the Espionage Act, conspiracy to obstruct justice, making false statements, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record and concealing a document in a federal investigation.
What are Donald Trump's lawyers saying?
On Monday, Donald Trump's lawyers John Rowley, James Trusty, and Lindsey Halligan met with Justice Department attorneys in connection with the probe into the classified documents case. The three lawyers were seen arriving at the Justice Department building in Washington.
Trump's attorneys have so far not spoken on the fresh indictment against the former US President.
Will Donald Trump be arrested?
Trump wrote on social media that he has been ordered to appear at the US District Court in Miami at 3 pm on Tuesday. He will not be arrested, as he is already under constant protection by the US Secret Service.
What happens in court?
Trump will appear before a federal judge for his initial court appearance. He may be asked to enter a plea of guilty or not guilty. The judge will then set bail or other conditions for his release, after hearing from both the prosecution and the defence. Trump may be required to promise to appear for future court dates, to obey the law, and to comply with any travel restrictions or other requirements that the judge may impose.
Does a federal indictment prevent Donald Trump from running for President?
The United States Constitution does not explicitly prohibit anyone who has been indicted, convicted of a crime, or is currently serving prison time from running for or winning the presidency. This means that, in theory, anyone could be elected president, regardless of their criminal history. However, there is no clear guidance in the US Constitution on what should happen if such a person wins.
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