Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on seven charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate.
On Truth Social – the social media network he created – the former US president protested his innocence, attacked Joe Biden, and revealed he has been summoned to appear in court on Tuesday.
The indictment remains sealed – but a federal grand jury has reportedly charged him with seven criminal counts, including obstruction of justice. According to NBC News, one of the charges against Trump is under the Espionage Act while the nature of the other six charges remain unclear. Trump is the first former president in American history to face criminal charges, and this is the second time he has been indicted. It marks a fresh setback in the 76-year-old’s campaign to be re-elected president in 2024.
On Truth Social, he wrote: “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!”
In a further post, 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!”
He later posted a four-minute video of himself discussing the allegations, which he described as a “hoax” that amounts to election interference. “We have such big problems – this shouldn’t be one of them,” he said in the clip. “I’m an innocent man. I did nothing wrong. I will f#ght this, just like we’ve been f#ghting for seven years. I’m an innocent man, we will prove it again. Seven years of proving it and here we go again. Very unfair – but that’s the way it is.”