Devendra Kumar
Donald Trump’s legal battle enters a new chapter with a closed hearing in Fort Pierce, Florida, where he faces criminal charges for mishandling classified documents. The former US President arrived at the federal courthouse, surrounded by a motorcade, for a procedural hearing to discuss the handling of classified evidence in the trial, set for May 20. The hearing is closed to the public to avoid revealing sensitive information, with judge Aileen Cannon allowing arguments from defense lawyers and prosecutors separately.
Outside the courthouse, Trump’s supporters gathered, displaying signs and flags, as a campaign message echoed Trump’s strategy of politicizing his criminal prosecutions. The message warned that “opponents want me arrested” and “erased from the ballot,” reinforcing Trump’s claims of a witch hunt against him. Trump’s legal team has been arguing that the government’s case is built on thin ground, with some allegations still unproven, and is seeking to demonstrate to supporters that he intends to fight his criminal prosecutions while simultaneously vying to reclaim the White House in November.
During the hearing, prosecutors revealed that a prospective government witness has received threats over social media, prompting an investigation by federal authorities. The defense lawyers were tasked with discussing their defense theories of the case in detail, including how classified information might be relevant or helpful to their argument. Trump’s motorcade departed the courthouse around 2pm, with supporters shouting his name as he left.
The hearing marks one of several voluntary court dates Trump has attended in recent weeks, where he hopes to project a image of defiance and determination in the face of his growing legal battles. Trump’s legal team continues to fight the charges, which include dozens of felony counts accusing him of hoarding classified records at his Mar-a-Lago estate and obstructing FBI efforts to retrieve them.