Donald Trump claimed on Saturday to be the victim of a “witch hunt” during his first public speech since his indictment the day before by federal justice, unprecedented for a former US president and with uncertain consequences in the 2024 Republican primaries.
At two Republican gatherings in the southeastern United States, he felt he was being sued for his bid for a second term in the White House.
“That’s why they do it, if I weren’t (candidate) there would be no witch hunt, there would be no accusation,” he said leaning into the face of the activists gathered in Columbus, Georgia.
37 charges
The former real estate tycoon is facing 37 charges for taking thousands of documents with him when he left the White House, some of which were confidential when he should have entrusted them to the National Archives, and for refusing to return them. most of it despite reminders from the FBI (federal police).
This indictment, the second in two months after the first in April by a New York state judge for accounting fraud, paves the way for a 2024 presidential election unlike any other in which the incumbent Democratic president’s Justice Department is suing the favorite in the Republican primary.
“You are dealing with crazy people,” Donald Trump said later in Greensboro, North Carolina.
“The baseless accusation against me by the (Joe) Biden administration’s instrumentalized Ministry of Justice will rank among the most horrendous abuses of power in the history of our country,” Spear said.
Thousands of stolen documents
Both encounters occurred just three days before his scheduled appearance Tuesday in federal court in Miami. He is accused of endangering the national security of the United States by keeping confidential documents, including military and nuclear secrets, when he left the White House.
The former president keeps repeating that he is the victim of a political cabal, enraged at what he described as an unfair legal attack against him.
Among the 37 counts in the indictment released Friday are “unlawful withholding of information related to national security,” “obstruction of justice,” and “false testimony.” The day before, he had announced the indictment and summons him to court in Miami on Tuesday.
Trump accuses prosecutor of being “disturbed”
The former leader reacted to the news of his indictment through a series of posts on his Truth Social network, as well as in a video statement posted on Twitter, calling the special prosecutor in charge of the investigation, Jack Smith, “disturbed.” denouncing electoral interference allegedly orchestrated by his rival Joe Biden. The latter indicated that he “had not spoken” with his Minister of Justice on this issue.
“They are attacking me because we are again ahead of Biden in the polls, by a lot,” said Donald Trump, despite the fact that opinion polls do not show a clear advantage at the moment.
Republicans in support of the former president
The Republican camp has so far generally closed ranks around the former president. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy, whose relationship with the tumultuous billionaire has not always been a good one, said his impeachment marked a “dark day” for the United States.
“I and all Americans who believe in the rule of law stand with President Trump,” Kevin McCarthy said.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his main opponent of the Republican nomination, joined the denunciations of a supposedly “instrumentalized” Department of Justice.
Source: BFM TV
