Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on seven charges relating to mishandling classified government documents and obstructing justice, according to CNN. Specific charges have not been revealed as of press time, although it has been confirmed that Trump will be traveling to Miami, Florida to respond to the charges, suggesting that will be the venue of the case.
It makes him the first sitting or former president ever to face a federal indictment.
The charges came after Trump's legal team met with Department of Justice officials on Monday, including Special Counsel Jack Smith who has been leading two separate investigations into Trump since November last year. They involve Trump's handling of classified documents and attempting to reverse the election result of 2020.
Monday's meeting had been considered by many insiders to be the last step before an indictment decision.
The former president responded to the news on his Truth Social platform.
"I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM," Trump 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!"
"This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America," Trump added in another post. "We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!"
This is the first federal indictment for Trump, though he's facing charges in New York State involving hush money payments to Stormy Daniels, a porn star he's accused of having an extra-marital affair with.
The former president is also under investigation in Georgia over allegations he played a part in an attempt to overturn the 2020 result and that he tried to have the state's electoral college results awarded to him.
The documents investigation first came to public view when the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago home in August last year. Reports since included that he'd obstructed justice by not returning them when asked.
Earlier this month, CNN reported that Smith had a recording of Trump talking about possessing one of the documents that involved plans to attack Iran. Other reports, again by CNN reported he'd had staff move documents before the FBI search, and that prosecutors were suspicious about a flood in a room that held servers for Mar-a-Lago's security system.
A full timeline of the investigation can be found at this link.
