WASHINGTON, D.C., June 8, 2023 (Gephardt Daily/UPI) — Former President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform, Truth Social, that he has been indicted by the federal government.
The investigation by the U.S. Justice Department has been overseen by special counsel Jack Smith. It centered on the former president’s alleged mishandling of classified security documents after his term in the White House ended.
Trump posted the message in three parts, starting at 5:21 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The indictment is related to a classified documents investigation of materials found at Trump’s residence.
Trump’s three posts follow:
“The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax, even though Joe Biden has 1850 Boxes at the University of Delaware, additional Boxes in Chinatown, D.C., with even more Boxes at the University of Pennsylvania, and documents strewn all over his garage floor where he parks his Corvette, and which is ‘secured’ by only a garage door that is paper thin, and open much of the time.
“I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 p.m. 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!”
“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!”
According to reports, Trump is facing at least seven counts.
It is the second criminal indictment of Trump. In March, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed 34 charges against the former president related to hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels while he was campaigning for president in 2016.
Trump became the first former president to face criminal charges. He pleaded not guilty to all counts, including falsifying business records. The falsifying business records charges were enhanced to criminal charges because it is alleged that records were falsified to further other criminal activities.
Leadup to indictment
It was reported last week that investigators obtained an audio recording of Trump discussing the contents of at least one classified document relating to a planned attack on Iran. Trump could be heard discussing Gen. Mark Milley opposing Trump’s plans to launch the attack in his final days in office.
Trump would go on to discuss classified documents compiled by Milley that were being kept off the grounds of Mar-a-Lago, where the FBI confiscated hundreds of documents last summer.
The recording was captured at Trump’s Bedminster, N.J., golf club in July 2021, during a meeting attended by two aides and writers working on a memoir for former chief of staff Mark Meadows.
Meadows was not present, but he has testified before the grand jury in this case.
Illegally possessing and transmitting top-secret defense information is a violation of the federal Espionage Act and obstruction of justice. It is punishable by a fine and a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
Gephardt Daily will have additional information as details become available.
