Donald Trump has officially been placed under arrest.
On Tuesday afternoon, four days after getting indicted on 37 charges related to the taking of secure documents to his Mar-a-Lago estate, the former President of the United States faced a magistrate judge in court.
This historic appearance marked the beginning of a legal process that will unfold at the apex of the 2024 presidential campaign, with Trump set to square off against nearly a dozen opponents in the hope that he’ll return to the White House in about a year and a half.
But will he do so… from prison?!?
Trump is accused willfully retaining classified records that prosecutors say could have jeopardized national security, with special counsel Jack Smith having said there are tapes and audio recordings that prove Trump was aware he had illegally taken such records from his time in office.
If convicted on these charges, he will likely spend the rest of his life behind federal bars.
This would only take place, of course, if the case goes to trial… and Trump is found guilty… and he isn’t elected President once again, which is somehow a very strong possibility in these polarizing and largely incomprehensible times.
“Our laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States and they must be enforced,” Smith said on Friday.
“Violations of those laws put our country at risk.”
For his part, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer addressed the federal indictment case against Trump on Tuesday.
“No one’s above the law, including Donald Trump, and ought to be no political or ideological interference as the case moves forward,” he said.
“We don’t need political interference. We need strong law enforcement and Donald Trump is not above the law, plain and simple.”
Trump sees things differently, of course.
Trump was also posting on Truth Social on the way to the Miami courthouse early this morning, referring to it as “one of the saddest days in the history of our country.”
For not exactly the first time, he also trashed the entire endeavor as a “WITCH HUNT!!!”
Authorities allege that Trump housed critical information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the U.S. and foreign countries, U.S. nuclear programs, and other highly sensitive material about potential vulnerabilities of the country and its allies to military attacks.
In court on Tuesday, his attorney said simply when the charges were read off:
“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty.”
Prior to the arraignment, deputy marshals booked the former commander-in-chief and took electronic copies of his fingerprints.
They did not to take a mugshot of Trump since he is easily recognizable. The booking process took about 10 minutes.
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