Trump calls the prosecution an 'abuse of power'

Mr Trump called his prosecution over alleged mishandling of classified government documents a "disgusting abuse of power".

"A corrupt sitting President arrested his top political opponent on false and fabricated charges in the middle of a presidential election that he would lose badly. With such charges, both he and many other presidents are guilty," Donald Trump said to supporters at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey on the evening of June 13 (morning of June 14, Hanoi time).

The speech came after Mr. Trump appeared in federal court in Miami, Florida to hear his indictment. Todd Blanche, one of Mr. Trump's two lawyers, represented his client and asserted his innocence on charges related to the investigation into the former president illegally keeping classified documents at his private residence.

In front of supporters in New Jersey, Trump dismissed the charges against him as an "abuse of power." "Today we witnessed the most vile and perverse abuse of power in the history of our country. It is very sad. Today will live in infamy," the former US president said.

Hundreds of supporters showed up, chanting, “We love Mr. Trump.” Trump also said he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate President Joe Biden if he is re-elected in 2024.

Former US President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey on June 13. Photo: Reuters — Former US President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey on June 13. Photo: *Reuters*

After hearing the indictment, Mr. Trump was allowed to leave the court without any travel restrictions or bail. The judge ordered him not to contact potential witnesses in the case.

On June 9, the US Department of Justice released a 49-page indictment, including 37 charges related to the investigation into Mr. Trump's illegal retention of classified documents at his private residence. With this accusation, Mr. Trump became the first former US president to be prosecuted at the federal level.

If convicted under the Espionage Act, the former president faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Republicans see this as a move to hinder the former president's bid for the White House in 2024.

Legal experts say the evidence in the case is strong, while special prosecutor Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation, has said Mr Trump will get a “speedy” trial. However, the trial could be delayed for more than a year due to the complexity of the classified material. During this time, Mr Trump is allowed to campaign and could be inaugurated if he wins.

This is the second time Mr. Trump has appeared in court this year. Mr. Trump became the first former US president to be indicted at the state level in late March, related to the accusation of falsifying business records to pay money to suppress unfavorable information during the 2016 presidential election. When he appeared in a New York court in early April, he asserted his "innocence" and denied all charges. The New York judge set the case for trial in March 2024.

Trump is also facing investigations into his role in the Capitol riots in January 2021 and his efforts to overturn the presidential election results in Georgia.

Despite the legal scandals, Mr. Trump remains the Republican presidential frontrunner. A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on June 12 found that 43% of self-identified Republicans said they still considered Mr. Trump their favorite candidate, nearly double the 22% who said they favored Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican presidential candidate, said he would pardon Mr. Trump if elected.

Huyen Le (According to AFP , Reuters )

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