Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis referred to the "weaponization" of federal agencies – echoing a previous statement in his first public appearance since the indictment of former President Donald Trump.

The governor made his comments at a speech at the North Carolina GOP State Convention in Greensboro on Friday.

"Our founding fathers would have absolutely predicted the weaponization that we've seen with these agencies, particularly Justice and FBI, because when you don't have constitutional accountability, human nature is such that they will abuse their power. And that's what happened," DeSantis said.

As he did on Twitter, DeSantis cited Hillary Clinton and Hunter Biden to argue the presence of a double standard of justice in America.

He did not, however, name Trump, who had the steadfast support of some of the attendees.

-ABC News' Will McDuffie and Elizabeth Schulze

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie addressed the federal indictment against former President Donald Trump and declared that it was "devastating," in an interview Friday with CNN.

Christie, who announced his candidacy this week for president, called it a "very, very evidence-filled indictment" and the facts contained within it "devastating" for Trump.

Christie reiterated that he believed Trump engaged in behavior that was "irresponsible."

Christie also disagreed with some Republicans like Speaker Kevin McCarthy who have warned about the disruption the indictment could cause, saying that Trump's wounds were "self-inflicted" and that he could have avoided this by simply returning the documents.

"He has contributed mightily to subjecting the country to the pain that we're going to go through over the course of the next number of months because of what's going on," Christie said.

-ABC News' Nicholas Kerr

The U.S. Secret Service is preparing for Trump's initial appearance in federal court in Miami on Tuesday as he faces 37 felony counts in a sweeping indictment.

In coordination with the U.S. Marshals and local law enforcement authorities, the Secret Service is working to streamline Trump's movements and minimize the number or locations and the distance he needs to move within the court complex to help secure his appearance.

"While operational security precludes us from going into specifics, the Secret Service will not seek any special accommodations outside of what would be required to ensure the former Presidents continued safety," Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

A U.S. Marshal spokesperson said that "ensuring that judges can rule independently and free from harm or intimidation is paramount to the rule of law, and a fundamental mission of the USMS."

-ABC News Jack Date

Following the unsealing of Trump's indictment, GOP lawmakers continued reacting to the news this afternoon and one included an incendiary remark.

"We have now reached a war phase. Eye for an eye," Rep. Andy Biggs, a Freedom Caucus member and top Trump ally, tweeted.

Another Trump ally, Rep. Clay Higgins, tweeted that "President Trump said he has "been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM. This is a perimeter probe from the oppressors. Hold. rPOTUS has this. Buckle up. 1/50K know your bridges. Rock steady calm. That is all."

-ABC News' Gabe Ferris

Attorney General Merrick Garland tapped Jack Smith in November 2022 as special counsel to oversee the DOJ's investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified materials after leaving office.

Former colleagues have characterized Smith, a longtime federal prosecutor and former head of the Justice Department's public integrity section, as an aggressive prosecutor who would not shy away from taking on difficult prosecutorial judgments, with the background and temperament that make him a strong selection for the high-profile role.

Read more about Smith here.