Mr Trump, the leading candidate for the Republican nomination in the 2024 presidential election, is scheduled to appear in Miami federal court on Tuesday at 3 p.m. local time.
Former US President Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters
He was previously charged with illegally retaining national security documents and obstructing justice. Mr. Trump has declared his innocence and vowed to continue his campaign.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday found that 81% of Republicans believe the charges against Mr. Trump are politically motivated. The poll also showed Mr. Trump continuing to lead other Republican candidates by a wide margin.
About 43% of self-identified Republicans said Mr. Trump was their preferred candidate, nearly double the 22% for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Mr Trump has accused President Joe Biden of orchestrating federal lawsuits to sabotage his campaign.
Miami Police Chief Manny Morales said the city is planning to provide security for about 50,000 people and will close streets in the downtown area if necessary.
Special prosecutor Jack Smith has accused Mr Trump of taking thousands of documents containing some of the most sensitive national security secrets when he left the White House and storing them haphazardly at his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort, according to a grand jury indictment unsealed last week.
Mr. Smith is also investigating Mr. Trump’s efforts to overturn his 2020 defeat to Mr. Biden.
The indictment also accuses Mr. Trump of lying to officials as they tried to retrieve the documents.
Mr Trump is the first US president to face criminal charges, but legal experts say this would not prevent him from running for president or taking office, even if he is convicted.
The charges include violations of the Espionage Act, which criminalizes unauthorized possession of national defense information and conspiracy to obstruct justice, which carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.
However, the first trial in Florida is expected to take place after the election. Mr Trump is also due to appear in court in New York in March next year in connection with his payment to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Hoang Nam (according to Reuters)
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