Donald Trump’s Attorney Slams Prosecutors and Defends Him Outside Miami Courthouse
Amid the processing and fingerprinting of former President Donald Trump, who faces charges of willful retention of national security secrets, his attorney Alina Habba delivered a vehement statement outside the Miami courthouse. She criticized the New York and Fulton County prosecutors who are investigating Trump’s conduct, as well as those responsible for the grand jury indictment that made him the first sitting U.S. president to face criminal prosecution.
Addressing reporters, Habba expressed concern over the rise of politically motivated prosecutors who disregard impartiality, due process, and equal protection of the law. She accused them of constructing a two-tiered justice system behind the scenes, citing the Georgia and New York district attorneys and the Russia investigation as examples.
Habba also took aim at former First Lady Hillary Clinton and former Vice President Joe Biden, asserting that both individuals had access to classified materials but were never charged with mishandling them. She referred to Clinton’s use of a personal server to store confidential emails during her tenure as Secretary of State and mentioned that classified items were found at Biden’s home and office, which are now under investigation by a special counsel. Biden’s staff maintains that they have cooperated with authorities and promptly turned over the discovered materials.
The 37-count indictment unsealed against Trump alleges the discovery of boxes containing national security files, including nuclear intelligence and a Pentagon assault plan, during an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. Habba criticized the selective pursuit of charges against Trump while turning a blind eye to others, calling it emblematic of corruption. She likened such behavior to that found in countries like Venezuela.
Habba emphasized that all Americans should be alarmed by the treatment of the former president. Her office in Bedminster, New Jersey, is located near Trump’s golf course and the venue where he was scheduled to speak later that evening. She defended Trump when he faced accusations from New York Attorney General Letitia James regarding property value inflation for financing purposes.
Meanwhile, Trump’s devoted assistant, Walt Nauta, arrived at the courthouse shortly after the former president’s arrest by U.S. Marshals in Miami. Trump’s motorcade, which drew both protesters and supporters, made its way downtown from Trump National Doral Miami. Eventually, Trump underwent processing and fingerprinting before having the federal accusations read to him in court.
Throughout the events, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, posting an angry message expressing his frustration with what he perceives as a witch hunt against him. The 76-year-old former president faces federal charges related to leaking nuclear secrets and foreign intelligence documents.
Demonstrators flooded the courthouse, with various groups, including “Blacks for Trump” and individuals displaying the American flag and a pig’s head, expressing their support or opposition to Trump. Trump’s supporters also used Twitter to coordinate their actions, while prominent figures like former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake announced their intention to attend the demonstrations.
Inside the courthouse, a limited number of journalists and members of the public were present, while an overflow chamber accommodated additional observers. Trump’s trusted advisors, including Jason Miller, Boris Epshteyn, and Margo Martin, accompanied him to Miami. Trump criticized Special Counsel Jack Smith, the chief investigator assigned to his case, on his Truth Social page, claiming bias and overturning of high-stakes cases.
In a separate press conference, Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy called on all other candidates to commit to pardoning Trump if elected, intending to reverse his convictions for leaks of sensitive information, obstruction of justice, and perjury.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, 81% of Republican respondents believed the charges against Trump were politically motivated. The poll also indicated Trump’s significant lead over his Republican competitors for the presidential nomination, with nearly half of Republican voters favoring him, while only 22% supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s closest competitor.