A Miami grand jury has indicted Donald Trump on seven counts, concluding the probe into his mishandling of classified documents following his exit from the White House.
This marks the first time in U.S. history that a former president will face federal criminal charges. The news comes mere months after Trump announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election.
The case became public knowledge in August when the FBI showed up at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago residence in search of roughly two dozen boxes of documents that had been taken from the White House. Since then, Special Counsel Jack Smith has been leading the inquiry, subpoenaing those within Trump’s inner circle and examining surveillance footage of his vacation home.
In addition to taking the documents, the special counsel’s office is also charging Trump with obstruction of justice and conspiracy. Prosecutors believe that some documents and evidence have been moved or damaged in an effort to conceal their misplacement.
The White House has declined to comment at this time.
