Breaking News: Donald Trump, former US president, arrested

Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, has been arrested at the federal courthouse in Miami. He is set to be arraigned on charges pertaining to mishandling classified documents.

During the proceedings on Tuesday, deputy marshals completed the booking process, including obtaining electronic copies of Trump’s fingerprints. Due to his high profile and recognizability, it was deemed unnecessary to capture a mugshot of the former president..

Trump’s associate and co-defendant, Walt Nauta, has also been taken into custody, processed, and had his fingerprints recorded.

These criminal charges, filed by the Justice Department in relation to classified documents, intensify the legal risks faced by Trump, who is currently the leading candidate for the 2024 Republican Party nomination.

The hearing scheduled for 3 p.m. ET in Miami is expected to primarily address procedural matters. Trump will enter a plea, discuss the conditions of his pretrial release, and potential restrictions on his behavior during the ongoing case may be raised.

A report says, “The charges against Trump encompass 37 felony counts, alleging illegal retention of national defense information and the concealment of documents in violation of witness-tampering laws.”

“These allegations emerged during the Justice Department’s investigation into the materials.”

Walt Nauta, a close aide to Trump, has also been indicted and charged with participating in a conspiracy to obstruct the federal investigation. Nauta will also appear in court.

Accompanied by Nauta in a separate vehicle, Trump departed from his Doral resort in a motorcade earlier today. When asked by a bystander about his feelings, Trump responded with “great” and waved.

On his social media account, prior to heading to court, Trump expressed his sentiments, stating, “ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE!!!”

Today’s hearing marks the beginning of what is expected to be a lengthy and dramatic legal process, encompassing criminal proceedings and potential appeals that may span several years. The case has been assigned to US District Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated by Trump. It is worth noting that Judge Cannon’s previous decision, in which she ordered a third-party review of an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, was widely criticized and overturned by a conservative appeals court.

Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, who is currently on duty in Miami, will oversee today’s proceedings.