Former US President Donald Trump indicted over classified documents case

Donald Trump has been indicted on seven charges including unauthorised retention of classified files. The charges are not fully public. This is Donald Trump’s second indictment and his first federal indictment.

He was earlier indicted on the charges of illegally influencing the 2016 elections by giving hush payments to 2 women who said they had sexual encounters with them.

In relation to the recent indictment, Trump has said that he was innocent and had been summoned to appear at a federal court in Miami, Florida on Tuesday afternoon where he will be arrested and hear the charges against him.

“I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former president of the United States,” he wrote. He added, “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!”

Mr Trump’s attorney Jim Trusty has told that the former president had received details of the charges in a summons document. He said they include conspiracy, false statements, obstruction of justice, and illegally retaining classified documents under the Espionage Act.

An indictment is a document that sets out details of charges against a person, ensuring they have notice of alleged criminal offenses.

According to legal experts, the indictment will not limit Donald Trump’s ability to run for presidency again.

In August 2022, Donald Trump’s resort in Florida ‘Mar-a-lago’ was searched and 11,000 documents were seized, including 100 documents which were labelled as classified. Some of these documents were also labelled ‘Top Secret’.