Trump addresses supporters in NJ, after historic Miami arraignment
MIAMI — Former President Donald Trump was arraigned in federal court in downtown Miami.
UPDATES
8:50 p.m.: “It’s political persecution like something straight out of a fascist or communist nation. This day will go down in infamy and Joe Biden will forever be remembered as… the most corrupt president in the history of our country.”
“They will fail and we will win bigger and better than ever before.”
He continued to attack the Biden administration to the cheers of supporters.
8:41 p.m.: Former President Donald Trump is about to address supporters at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey.
4:56 p.m.: Trump’s plane takes off from South Florida after historic indictment.
4:51 p.m.: Trump’s private plane is about to leave South Florida and head
to Bedminster, New Jersey, where he will be attending a fundraiser on Tuesday evening.
4:39 p.m.: Trump boards his plane at MIA.
4:37 p.m.: Former President Donald Trump’s motorcade arrives at Miami International Airport. Chopper 4 images showed several black SUVs and police vehicles inside the airport, headed toward his private plane.
4:30 p.m.: “Thank you, Miami, such a warm welcome on such a sad day for our country,” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. He complained about the “rigged system,” while at Versailles Restaurant.
4:17 p.m.: Former President Trump waves to supporters outside Versailles Restaurant before getting back inside his black SUV. His motorcade is now expected to head to Miami International Airport, where his plane is waiting for him and his entourage.
4:11 p.m.: Dozens of customers inside Versailles Restaurant greeted former President Trump with applause and most had their phones out, trying to grab video or take photos. He took photos and shook hands with supporters.
4:08 p.m.: Former President Trump’s motorcade makes stop at Versailles Restaurant in Little Havana. Images from Chopper 4 showed dozens of supporters waving flags outside the eatery.
4:03 p.m.: CBS News Miami’s Ted Scouten, who was in the courtroom said,
“He said nothing at all. He sat with arms crossed and a scowl on his face.”
“When he left the courtroom, he was taken out by Secret Service agents.”
“His attorney entered the plea for him. He did not have to put up any money and it was relatively simple.”
“What took time was setting up the conditions of release. He was told not to talk to witnesses about the case.”
3:50 p.m.: Former President Trump left the courthouse. His motorcade headed to Versailles Restaurant on Calle Ocho.
3:46 p.m.: The arraignment for Donald Trump is over after his attorney and the government agreed to several stipulations, including that he does not have to surrender his passport. The former president was also ordered to have no contact with the list of government witnesses about the case, even those who are still employed by Trump.
3:06 p.m.: Attorney for Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty on behalf of the former president and requested a jury trial.
2:55: Former President Donald Trump is in the courtroom.
2:15 p.m.: Trump and aide Walt Nauta, who is charged as a co-conspirator, were processed by the US Marshal Service and booked in federal court. The two men were seen arriving at court together.
1:50 p.m.: Motorcade arrives at Wilkie D. Fergusson Jr. federal courthouse complex. Each vehicle is checked at the entrance checkpoint before it is allowed to proceed inside. Supporters lined the streets outside the courthouse complex in a show of support for the former president.
1:25 p.m.: Doral police motorcade seen leaving Trump resort. It’s a 12 mile journey from the Trump National Doral resort to the Wilkie D. Fergusson Jr. federal courthouse in downtown Miami where he will be arraigned.
1:23 p.m.: The former president is set to depart his Doral resort in order to head to downtown Miami to face a federal judge.
What you need to know.
Trump is facing 37 charges related to what prosecutors said was his mishandling of classified documents brought to his Mar-a-Lago resort and engaging in a conspiracy to obstruct justice. He’s expected to plead not guilty to the charges.
A group of Trump supporters and those critical of the former president began arriving outside the courthouse before dawn.
Gregg Donovan, who came from California to support Trump, said that this is a “very sad day in America” while protesting outside the courthouse. Donovan says this is “surreal” and is “the worst day since President Kennedy and President Lincoln were shot.”
“I thought America was supposed to be the leader of, you know, the example, and now what’s happening. I don’t know. I mean, we’ll see. I mean, if he’s found guilty, I mean I just, I have another dream ticket. It could be, uh, Trump DeSantis and then DeSantis could pardon him, so,” he said.
Domenic Santana, of Miami, spoke out against Trump saying “America fell for the biggest con in history.”
Santana called Trump “a graduate from the school of rats” and said he “should have gone to jail a long time ago.”
On Monday, Miami Police Chief Manny Morales said safety is paramount and all officers will be on high alert.
“Make no mistake. We are taking this event extremely seriously. We know the potential for things to take a turn for the worse. That’s not the Miami way,” he said.
Morales said any protests should be peaceful and civil.
“We’re ready. Ready for it to be over and done,” he said.
Security for Trump’s court appearance includes U.S. Marshals, responsible for securing the courthouse and federal grounds; U.S. Secret Service, responsible for providing security for Trump as a former president; Miami police, responsible for securing the streets around the courthouse; and Miami-Dade police, who will provide added security around the courthouse, Trump National Doral, and the movement of Trump around the county.
The Florida Highway Patrol helped with road closures and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement also lent a hand.
Former FBI Special Agent Stuart Kaplan said Trump’s court appearance will be different than his very public one in New York City.
“In the federal court system, which is policed by the United States Marshal Service, there are no electronic devices, no cellphones, no cameras, allowed into or onto the premises inside. So basically, you’re going to see his motorcade gain access through a sally port, through the United States Marshal Service entrance, where they would typically bring in people in custody, and that’s basically all you are going to see of him until such time as his team exits the building and whether or not he wants to make himself public,” said Kaplan.
Kaplan said here’s what we can expect for Trump’s arraignment.
“The normal procedure will be, and I do this all the time, is that if I am self-surrendering a defendant, he will first go up to the United States Marshal Service office, he will be fingerprinted and photographed. Those fingerprints will be run through NCIC (National Crime Information Center), his photograph will be attached to his jacket, and then he will proceed up to the courtroom and the proceedings will start. These proceedings will be very quick.”
Former US prosecutor David Weinstein said these initial appearances normally last about 15 minutes. He thinks this one could be a bit longer. He said Trump is not expected to speak much during the hearing except to answer questions from the judge. In the hearing, they will also discuss pre-trial release plans. Weinstein said because we’re dealing with a former president we are in uncharted territory.
“We’re dealing with a unique individual here. He is escorted around and supervised by Secret Service,” Weinstein said. “He’s the former President of the United States. He’s on television, social media, virtually almost every hour of every day. So everybody knows where he’s going to be but I do think we’re going see the government ask to have him surrender his passport. And he not be allowed to travel outside the United States,” he said.
Following his arraignment, Trump will head to New Jersey for a fundraising event Tuesday night.