Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been indicted over his handling of classified documents after he left the White House.
Mr Trump wrote on social media on Thursday that he has been indicted by the US Department of Justice and will appear at the federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday.
“The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Mr Trump’s indictment makes him the first former president in US history to face criminal charges by the federal government. It carries serious legal consequences, including the possibility of prison if Mr Trump’s convicted.
Speaking on CNN, Mr Trump’s attorney James Trusty said the indictment includes charges of willful retention of national defense information — a crime under the Espionage Act.
Mr Trump is also facing charges of obstruction of justice, destruction or falsification of records, conspiracy and false statements.
Republicans have rallied to support the former president. Kevin McCarthy the House Speaker denounced a “dark day” for America, while Ron DeSantis, Mr Trump’s rival in the race for the party’s nomination in 2024, said the charges represent “a mortal threat to a free society”.
