Donald Trump indictment updates – Special counsel Jack Smith reveals 38 charges before press conference as lawyers quit

A look inside Mar-a-Lago

The US Department of Justice has released evidence photos of Donald Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago.

Aid faces charges

Former aid to Donald Trump now faces charges and is accused of being a co-conspirator in the alleged mishandling of classified documents.

He was spotted last month with Trump on the golf course.

Judge Aileen Cannon – who she is, continued

After a year, Cannon then moved to Washington, DC, to become an associate attorney at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

Cannon spent three years at the corporate law firm before becoming an assistant US attorney for the Southern District of Florida, The Hill reports.

In 2020, she then became a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida after being appointed by Donald Trump.

Judge Aileen Cannon - who she is

Aileen Cannon is a Colombian-born American lawyer who serves as a United States district judge in the Southern District of Florida.

She was born in 1981 in Cali, Columbia, but was raised in Miami.

During her confirmation hearing on July 29, 2020, she said that her mother, Mercedes Cubas, instilled in her "the blessing that is this country and the importance of securing of the rule of law for generations to come," according to .

She began her career in 2007 clerking for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in Des Moines, Iowa, after graduating from law school, according to .

Trump slams Jack Smith before 3pm speech

Trump slammed Smith in a post on Truth Social minutes before Smith testified at the Justice Department on the charges against the former president, alleging complicity in the IRS scandal over its targeting of conservative charity groups seeking tax-exempt status.

Trump wrote: "He went after Evangelicals and Great Americans of Faith. The United States had to apologize, and pay major damages for what this deranged lunatic did."

Smith: 'Innocent until proven guilty'

In his remarks earlier today, Jack Smith said: "It’s very important for me to note that the defendants in this case must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

"To that end, my office will seek a speedy trial on this matter, consistent with the public interest and the rights of the accused.

"We very much look forward to presenting our case to a jury of citizens in the Southern District of Florida."

What the indictment says

The indictment unsealed Friday also alleges that Trump described a Pentagon “plan of attack” and shared a classified map related to a military operation.

He allegedly brought the documents to his home in Florida without proper authorization - and will face the charges at a federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, according to his latest post on Truth Social.

Special Counsel Department of Justice delivers a statement

Special Counsel Jack Smith addressed the public on C-SPAN on Friday.

"Today an indictment was unsealed charging Donald J. Trump with felony violations of our national security laws, as well as participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice," said Special Counsel Jack Smith.

"Our laws that protect national defense information are critical for the safety and security of The United States and they must be enforced. Violations of those laws put our country at risk."

"We have one set of laws in this country and they apply to everyone," he went on to say.

Jack Smith - who he is

Smith formerly worked as the head prosecutor for the Special Court in The Hague, where he probed war crimes committed during the Kosovo War.

He was formerly the vice president of litigation at Hospital Corporation of America, the nation's biggest nonprofit healthcare provider.

Smith began his career as an associate district attorney in the New York County District Attorney's Office in 1994.

Trump's associate lied to investigators

In a federal indictment unsealed earlier today, prosecutors allege that Donald Trump's aide Walt Nauta lied to investigators when he was interviewed by the FBI in May 2022.

Nauta said he didn't know about the documents being brought to Trump’s residence before the former president took them to the National Archives in 2022.

However according to prosecutors, Nauta had, in fact, helped to relocate boxes from a storage room to Trump’s residence.

Pence: 'No one is above the law'

Former Vice President Mike Pence also said, per , that "no one is above the law," and that "the handling of classified materials of the United States is a serious matter.

Pence likewise urged voters "to pray for our former president and his family," saying the "unprecedented indictment" points to "a sad day in America."

Pence 'deeply troubled' by Trump's indictment

Former Vice President Mike Pence said today during a campaign visit in , per , that the charge against Trump "deeply troubled" him, adding that "it would only further divide our nation at a time when American families are facing real hardship at home and real peril abroad."

Pence, who, like his former employer, is running for the Republican presidential nomination, expressed worry about "the message this sends the wider world," adding: "We're the beacon of democracy, but we're also an emblem of justice in the world."

Donald Trump’s full statement, concluded

Trump ended his statement by saying: “This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America. We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!”

The former president is set to appear in court on Tuesday.

Donald Trump’s full statement, continued

The Former president continued: “I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM.

“I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States, who received far more votes than any sitting President in the History of our Country, and is currently leading, by far, all Candidates, both Democrat and Republican, in Polls of the 2024 Presidential Election.

“I AM AN INNOCENT MAN!”

Donald Trump’s full statement, continued

The Former president continued: “I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM.

“I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States, who received far more votes than any sitting President in the History of our Country, and is currently leading, by far, all Candidates, both Democrat and Republican, in Polls of the 2024 Presidential Election.

“I AM AN INNOCENT MAN!”

Donald Trump’s full statement

Donald Trump released a full statement regarding his indictment on his social media platform .

The Former president wrote: “The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax.

“Even though Joe Biden has 1850 Boxes at the University of Delaware, additional Boxes in Chinatown, D.C., with even more Boxes at the University of Pennsylvania, and documents strewn all over his garage floor where he parks his Corvette, and which is “secured” by only a garage door that is paper thin, and open much of the time.”

The indictment comes after months-long probe

It’s not yet clear what the immediate or long-term consequences of the indictment will be for Trump.

The indictment came after a months-long probe conducted by special counsel Jack Smith, the  reported.

“We’re learning from our sources that there appears to be at least seven counts here,” ABC News’ Katherine Faulders said.

The indictment comes after months-long probe

It’s not yet clear what the immediate or long-term consequences of the indictment will be for Trump.

The indictment came after a months-long probe conducted by special counsel Jack Smith, the  reported.

“We’re learning from our sources that there appears to be at least seven counts here,” ABC News’ Katherine Faulders said.

‘I’m an innocent man’

Trump insisted  posted to Truth Social: “There’s never been anything like what’s happened, I’m an innocent man.”

He went on to call for honesty and integrity before saying that the nation is going to hell.

Trump posted video

After announcing the news of his indictment, the former president posted a video on Truth Social.

“Very sadly, we’re a nation in decline,” he started out .

“It’s election interference at the highest level.”

Trump’s competition for president, concluded

Trump will also have to go up against a widely considered top-tier candidate in the GOP - Florida Governor , 44.

DeSantis filed his paperwork to become a presidential candidate in May.

His campaign announcement on Twitter Spaces caused the live audio platform to crash as hundreds of thousands of social media users flocked to hear the candidate speak.

Trump’s competition for president, continued

Former Vice President Mike Pence placed his own bid for president on Monday as the race for the Republican nomination is becoming a competitive one.

Pence formally launched his campaign during a rally in Des Moines, , on Wednesday, according to .

Trump's competition for president

Christie, 60, publicly declared his candidacy in Manchester, New Hampshire Tuesday night.

Trump and Christie have already gone head-to-head during the 2016 presidential primaries, which didn't turn out in the New Jersey politician's favor.

There was a brief period when Christie was once an ally of Trump, helping to lead the former president's transition team.

But Christie has since been candid about his desire to take the MAGA politician down.

Trump pleaded not guilty to the first indictment

On March 30, 2023, Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury for his alleged role in a hush-money scandal involving porn actress Stormy Daniels.

He later pleaded not guilty on April 4 to 34 felony charges, according to .

Trump has continuously denied having any role in the alleged scandal, but his legal woes did not stop there.