Former US President Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 charges in a federal court in Miami – through his lawyer. Outside the court, he again spoke of political persecution without any evidence. This goes down well with fans.
In front of the courthouse in Miami, they faced each other screaming: Trump critics and Trump supporters. Trump fans were clearly in the majority.
“Donald Trump didn’t deserve to be treated like that. He was the President. He had the right to declassify and take documents. Joe Biden’s family, they are the real criminals,” scolds one woman.
“I hope they drop the court case,” said another protester. “That they realize that this only makes Trump stronger. The Democrats still don’t realize what they’ve done. It’s like trying to put out the fire with gasoline.”
Trump’s narrative of the corrupt judiciary resonates
Such statements make it clear: Donald Trump’s narrative that there is no independent judiciary in the country and that the trials against him are being brought directly by President Biden and his Democrats – this narrative resonates with many at the Republican base.
In court, Donald Trump had to submit to the rule of law for at least two hours. Trump was initially treated by the identification service, which again included fingerprinting. Then newly assigned Judge Jonathan Goodman read the indictment in the courtroom.
According to eyewitnesses in the courtroom, Trump himself said not a word, he had his attorney Todd Blanche plead not guilty to all 37 charges.
Trump: “Most vicious and most abominable abuse of power”
Donald Trump then flew to New Jersey to be celebrated by supporters at his local golf club and to give a speech.
“Today we witnessed the most vicious and heinous abuse of power in our country’s history,” Trump said. He again called President Joe Biden “corrupt” and claimed that it was Biden personally who was taking legal action against him because Biden was losing an election.
Trump wants to continue undeterred
What remains of the day that launched a trial against a former president unprecedented in US history? There were far fewer demonstrators than the police expected, around 1,000.
It remains unclear when the main hearing against Donald Trump in the case of the secret government documents will begin. Trump’s message is that he is undeterred in his election campaign and will not be dissuaded from his plan to become a presidential candidate again.
But there are also voices like that of a passer-by outside the courthouse in Miami: “Nobody is above the law. Everyone has to bear the consequences of their actions.” By that he meant: Donald Trump too.