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Former President Donald Trump appeared in a federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges. This unprecedented indictment of a former president includes allegations of unlawfully retaining government secrets and conspiring to obstruct justice.

According to the indictment, Trump is accused of personally packing the documents as he left the White House in 2021. It is alleged that he boasted about possessing secret materials and caused his own lawyer to mislead the FBI regarding the nature of the stored papers at Mar-a-Lago. Trump's aide, Walt Nauta, is also facing charges of concealing documents and making false statements.

In a call for support, Trump maintains his innocence and claims that he is being unfairly targeted due to his intention to run for president again. Republican allies in Congress have echoed these claims, alleging bias within the Justice Department.

Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by the Justice Department to oversee an independent investigation of Trump, defended the work of his team and the FBI, emphasizing the equal application of the law to all individuals.

During the court appearance, Trump went through the standard processing procedures, including digital fingerprinting. However, he was not handcuffed, and there were no restrictions placed on his passport or travel.

As a condition of his release, Trump is prohibited from directly communicating about the case with any of the witnesses on the government's list, including his co-defendant, Nauta.

Law enforcement agencies, including the Secret Service and U.S. Marshals, have taken precautions to ensure security outside the federal courthouse. Local police and additional first responders are on standby, aiming to prevent any recurrence of incidents like the assault on the U.S. Capitol.

Despite heightened security, experts in extremism research have not observed signs of large-scale and detailed planning related to the courthouse appearance.

Looking ahead, Special Counsel Smith has expressed a desire for a speedy trial, which could potentially take place within 70 days. However, the involvement of classified documents may present challenges regarding the authorization of Trump's legal team to access the material and its potential use in the courtroom. Trump's lawyers could introduce various pretrial motions, potentially causing further delays, and there is even the possibility of postponing the trial until after the presidential election.

In the midst of these legal proceedings, Trump is incorporating the federal indictment into his campaign for the White House. He is scheduled to speak at a fundraiser at his golf club in New Jersey on Tuesday night. Trump has indicated that if he were to win the presidency in 2024, he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate President Biden and his family.

It is worth noting that Trump's legal challenges extend beyond the classified documents case. Special Counsel Smith continues to investigate Trump's actions related to the January 6th Capitol riot, while the Fulton County District Attorney's Office in Georgia is examining attempts to pressure state officials following the 2020 election. The potential for additional charges in these investigations remains uncertain.