Prime 9ja Online had previously reported the seven-count charges, including the unauthorized retention of confidential information under the U.S. Espionage Act. This marks the second indictment for Mr. Trump and the first federal indictment of a former president in American history.
During the trial proceedings, the former president entered a plea of not guilty to all 37 counts before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, as reported by Voice of America (VOA) on Tuesday. The U.S. government is actively investigating how Mr. Trump handled sensitive information following the execution of a search warrant at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, by the FBI in 2022.
Each of the 31 counts of "willful retention" of classified national defense information represents a distinct document that Mr. Trump allegedly took from the White House. If convicted, he could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for each count. Willful retention refers to the deliberate act of keeping and refusing to surrender documents.
In addition to the charges related to document retention, the former president faces six other charges centered around his alleged attempts to conceal the fact that he retained the documents despite demands from the FBI and a grand jury for their return. The trial will continue to unfold as the legal proceedings progress, and the outcome will have significant implications not only for Mr. Trump but also for the historical precedence it sets regarding the accountability of former U.S. presidents.