With federal indictment, Trump notches up another disgraceful first for a US president

There has never been a more corrupt President in United States history

Twice-impeached, now twice-indicted.

According to multiple news reports and the man himself, a federal grand jury has officially indicted former President Donald Trump over his mishandling of classified documents. This comes one day after The Independent was first to report that DOJ prosecutors were ready to ask grand jurors to indict Trump for Espionage Act violations and obstruction of justice on Thursday. That’s exactly what has happened.

The indictment is still under seal, but here’s what we know so far: Trump’s attorney has confirmed that the former president is facing seven counts and reporting indicates the charges include wilfully retaining national defence secrets in violation of the Espionage Act, conspiracy to obstruct, and making false statements. This is the second time Donald Trump has been indicted in less than three months.

Donald Trump is now the first President to face federal charges, the first President to face state charges, the first President to be indicted twice, the first president to be impeached twice, and the first President to be held civilly liable for sexual assault. There has never been a more corrupt President in United States history than Donald Trump. That resounding truth has been reaffirmed once again.

This is the culmination of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s probe which has been ongoing since last November. This comes days after Trump’s lawyers frantically met with the DOJ on Monday. Amid the avalanche of news stories in recent days, it was clear something was coming. When it comes to the case against Trump, it’s strong.

After being informed of the seven-count indictment, Trump claimed he’s received a summons to appear in federal court on Tuesday, 13 June. Trump released a video claiming he’s innocent and pushing his familiar witch hunt narrative. But the evidence indicates otherwise. The DOJ seized over 100 classified documents that Trump unlawfully took to Mar-a-Lago after he left office. Trump and his attorneys then misled the DOJ, claiming Trump had no more documents in his possession. Trump held on to the documents for over a year and a half before a search warrant was executed last Summer to retrieve the documents.

One of the most damning leaks about the case came just last week. There is reportedly a Summer 2021 tape of Trump bragging about having classified Pentagon documents. The tape not only indicated Trump was aware the docs were classified, but that he was aware post-Presidency he doesn’t have the power to declassify them. That is key because it undercuts his core claim that he declassified these documents, apparently telepathically since there was no documentation of him doing so. That tape is also key because it proves he knowingly took classified documents. That’s a consciousness of guilt, a major component of establishing criminal intent.

A lot of questions remain. How will the case proceed? We know that it will be adjudicated in Florida. Interesting choice from Special Counsel Jack Smith, which projects confidence in his case. Who else will be charged? Conspiracy to obstruct charges means that there is at least one co-conspirator. Will Donald Trump actually be convicted? Of all the charges Trump faces, these are the most clear-cut. At the bare minimum, it’s illegal to steal classified documents. That appears clearly demonstrated here.

This indictment, of course, comes with wider ramifications. This is a good day for democracy amid a season of accountability for Donald Trump. So far this year, Trump has already been indicted in the hush money case in Manhattan with a March 2024 court date. He’s been found civilly liable for sexual assault in the E Jean Carroll case. Now, he’s facing federal charges in a case with national security ramifications. The DOJ and Georgia both have separate probes into the efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

This is not happening in a vacuum. We’re in a moment where the 2024 GOP primary is in full swing. Just this week, Chris Christie and Mike Pence have joined an increasingly crowded field that includes Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Tim Scott, Asa Hutchinson, Nikki Haley, and more. This second indictment will surely further shake up the race, forcing Trump’s opponents to take a clear stance on whether they will defend the rule of law or the rule of Trump over their party.

At a CNN town hall this week, Mike Pence defended Trump and said he shouldn’t be indicted over the classified document probe. Thursday night, Tim Scott decided to defend Donald Trump. Asa Hutchinson took another approach, calling on Trump to "end his campaign."

We’ll see how this impacts his campaign. These classified document charges, Trump’s civil rape trial, his hush-money case, and probes into the insurrection all paint the picture of a disgraced wannabe authoritarian who has no respect for the rule of law, American democracy, national security, women, or basic human decency. Republican voters will have to decide whether they want to nominate a candidate who is so plagued by depravity ... again.

One thing is for sure: Trump’s troubles are just beginning.