Donald Trump on Tuesday became the first president, former or current, to be booked on federal criminal charges in the country’s 247-year history.
The moment represents another dizzying chapter of a presidential campaign in which Trump is seeking a return to the White House while fending off allegations he illegally kept classified documents and attempted to block investigators from retrieving them.
It’s one of many legal cases, including an earlier indictment in New York, that has thrust voters across the country into an unprecedented situation.
While en route to the Miami courtroom, Trump used his social media megaphone, casting the indictment as act of political persecution.
Trump’s motorcade arrived as a throng of supporters and opponents shouted chants of encouragement and disdain, before the line of vehicles entered the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse.
Here are the takeaways from today’s arraignment.
Trump pleads not guilty to 37 charges
Trump on Tuesday sat quietly during the short hearing, wearing a red tie and crossing and uncrossing his arms. His attorney, Todd Blanche, offered his plea, saying “We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty.”
The former president was released without having to pay a bond. He won’t have to surrender his passport or limit his personal travel either.
But Trump’s release isn’t without any conditions. He agreed not to talk to Walt Nauta, his personal valet and co-defendant, about the case. He also won’t be able to talk with potential witnesses about the case.
Poll: Trump’s indictment is a liability, but he still reigns in GOP primary
Trump remains the unquestionable lead horse in the Republican primary field thus far, even as he faces his second indictment during the 2024 campaign.
But there are signs of fatigue among some right-leaning Americans that could be fatal in a general election.
A USA TODAY/Suffolk University poll released Tuesday finds 34% of GOP and independent voters say the former president’s legal problems makes them less likely to support him. Biden edges Trump in a rematch too, the poll shows.
And in recent days, other Republicans looking to be the party’s standard-bearer have started to chip away at the front-runner over the documents case.
Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who was low key after the indictment news broke last week, pivoted on Monday. She said if the allegations against Trump are true, “Trump was incredibly reckless with our national security.”
Chris Christie, a former New Jersey governor, is taking the most aggressive approach. He called it a “tight, very evidence-laden” case against Trump.
But the USA TODAY/Suffolk University survey shows Trump remains king of the GOP hill. Eleven percent of Republican and right-leaning independent voters say they are more likely to back his bid as a result of the allegations. And a majority, 51%, say it doesn’t matter.
Trump’s indictment trilogy
One thing to remember: this isn’t necessarily the end of Trump’s legal troubles.
He faces a third possible prosecution in Georgia for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating potential election fraud because of Trump’s fake electors in that state and because of his call Jan. 2, 2021, asking state Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to change the outcome.
Trump also faces charges in New York over allegations he falsified business records to make hush money payments to women who claimed to have sex with him.
Ramaswamy: I’ll pardon Trump
Other rivals of the former president in the 2024 race for the White House are looking to cozy up to his base.
Speaking at a press conference outside the Miami courthouse, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, a long-shot in the 2024 contest by most yardsticks, promised to pardon Trump if elected.
And he wants other candidates to join the pledge.
“I have demanded that every other candidate in this race either sign this commitment to pardon… or else to explain why they are not,” Ramaswamy said.
Crowds at the courthouse
Members of the media and at least 200 demonstrators both supporting and opposing the former president flocked to the Miami courthouse on Tuesday.
Some protesters attended in costume, with one man dressed as Uncle Sam, another as a circus ringmaster and others draped in flags.
But one man was tackled by authorities and placed under arrest after he attempted to run in front of Trump’s motorcade as the former president left the courthouse. While experts who monitor extremism didn’t predict wide-scale protests and violence following the arraignment, they maintained that small-scale or individual attacks remained possible.
Contributing: USA TODAY Staff; Associated Press
