Trump says he'll plead not guilty after federal indictment

Trump is set to appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday.

To read live updates from Tuesday's court appearance, click here.

Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on federal charges in an investigation into his handling of classified documents, according to an indictment unsealed on Friday.

The indictment comes after more than 100 documents with classified markings were found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in August 2022.

Trump was charged with 37 counts: 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information; one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice; one count of withholding a document or record; one count of corruptly concealing a document or record; one count of concealing a document in a federal investigation; one count of scheme to conceal; and one count of false statements and representations.

The indictment of Trump, who has repeatedly denied any allegations of impropriety, is unprecedented for a former president.


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Biden declines to comment

When asked about the indictment during an event in North Carolina on Friday, President Joe Biden told reporters, "I have no comment at all."

Biden didn't respond to questions on if he’s spoken to Attorney General Merrick Garland or if he had a response to comments from Republicans.


Trump aide Walt Nauta charged by special counsel

Walt Nauta, an aide to former President Donald Trump, has been charged by the special counsel as part of the probe into Trump’s taking of classified information, ABC News has learned.

Nauta was indicted by the same grand jury in Florida, sources told ABC News. It is not immediately clear what the exact charges are and an attorney for Nauta declined to comment when contacted by ABC News.

Nauta served as a valet in the Trump White House and left his role to join Trump as a personal aide in early 2021.

Trump praised Nauta in a Truth Social post, writing that he was a Navy veteran "who served proudly with me in the White House, retired as Senior Chief, and then transitioned into private life as a personal aide."

"He has done a fantastic job!" Trump said.

-ABC News' Katherine Faulders, Jack Date and John Santucci


Trump attorneys resign in documents case

In the wake of the indictment, two of former President Donald Trump's lawyers have submitted their resignations.

Jim Trusty and John Rowley said they were stepping down in a joint statement.

"This morning we tendered our resignations as counsel to President Trump, and we will no longer represent him on either the indicted case or the January 6 investigation," they wrote.

Trump, meanwhile, claimed Friday that he had removed two of his attorneys representing him in the documents probe and "will be announcing additional lawyers in the coming days."

"I want to thank Jim Trusty and John Rowley for their work," Trump said on Truth Social, "but they were up against a very dishonest, corrupt, evil, and 'sick' group of people, the likes of which has not been seen before."

Trump said he will be represented in the case by Todd Blanche, who attended Manhattan criminal court with the former president in April, and "a firm to be named later."

-ABC News' Olivia Rubin


Romney: Trump 'brought these charges upon himself'

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said in a statement Friday that Donald Trump "brought these charges upon himself by not only taking classified documents, but by refusing to simply return them when given numerous opportunities to do so."

"These allegations are serious and if proven, would be consistent with his other actions offensive to the national interest, such as withholding defensive weapons from Ukraine for political reasons and failing to defend the Capitol from violent attack and insurrection," Romney said.

The senator added that he thinks it appears "the Justice Department and special counsel have exercised due care" and offered Trump "time and opportunity to avoid charges that would not generally have been afforded to others."


Indictment unsealed

The 49-page indictment against former President Donald Trump has been unsealed.

Trump has been charged with 37 counts: 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information; one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice; one count of withholding a document or record; one count of corruptly concealing a document or record; one count of concealing a document in a federal investigation; one count of scheme to conceal; and one count of false statements and representations.

The indictment alleges Trump had "lawful access to the most sensitive classified documents and national defense information gathered and owned by the United States government."

During his presidency, prosecutors said, Trump gathered classified documents and other materials in boxes, including "information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its Allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack. The unauthorized disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods."

Trump at least twice showed classified documents to others, prosecutors said, on separate occasions in 2021 at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Trump aide Walt Nauta was charged with six counts: one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice; one count of withholding a document or record; one count of corruptly concealing a document or record; one count of concealing a document in a federal investigation; one count of scheme to conceal; and one count of false statements and representations.

Prosecutors described an exchange between Nauta and an unnamed member of the Trump family shortly after Nauta allegedly removed dozens of boxes from their storage location inside Trump's Florida home, Mar-a-Lago.

On May 30, 2022, prosecutors said the Trump family member texted Nauta: Good afternoon Walt, Happy Memorial Day! I saw you put boxes to Potus room. Just FYI and I will tell him as well: Not sure how many he wants to take on Friday on the plane. We will NOT have a room for them. Plane will be full with luggage. Thank you!"

Prosecutors said Nauta replied: Good Afternoon Ma’am [Smiley Face Emoji] Thank you so much. I think he wanted to pick from them. I don’t imagine him wanting to take the boxes. He told me to put them in the room and that he was going to talk to you about them."

The indictment alleges that Nauta removed about 11 boxes from the storage room on June 1, 2022.