“Every Right”: Trump Insists He Was Allowed To Keep Documents In Flordia Home

Former US president Donald Trump has repeated his claims that he had “every right to have [the] documents” he stored at his Florida home.

This morning, Australia time, Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 federal charges which allege he broke the laws in hiding top secret documents in his Mar-a-Lago home.

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Speaking to his supporters at his luxury golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey just hours after his court appearance, Trump began by describing his indictment as “the most evil and heinous abuse of power in the history of our country”.

“It’s political persecution like something straight out of a fascist or communist nation,” Trump said.

“This thing will go down in infamy and Joe Biden will forever be remembered as not only the most corrupt president in the history of our country, but perhaps – even more importantly – the president who, together with a band of his closest thugs, misfits and Marxists, tried to destroy American democracy.”

Trump told his supporters photographs of the boxes at his home were “staged by the FBI” and contained “all types of personal belongings”.

“Many people have asked me why I had these boxes, why did you want them?” he said.

“The answer, in addition to having every right under the Presidential Records Act, is that these boxes were containing all types of personal belongings many, many things shirts and shoes, everything as can be seen in the picture where someone not be.”

It was only back in April that Trump faced a Manhattan courtroom and pleaded not guilty to charges in relation to an alleged hush money scheme.

However, the federal charges he pleaded not guilty this morning to, which include allegations of violating the Espionage Act are considered more serious, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

Trump will receive documents over the next two weeks showing him the evidence the prosecution will use so he can begin preparing his defence.

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