Defiant Trump rages against Biden after not-guilty plea
Earlier in a Miami federal court, before a courtroom closed to cameras and live broadcasts, Mr Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, entered the "not guilty" plea before magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman, setting up a legal battle likely to play out as he campaigns to win back the presidency in a November 2024 election. Mr Trump's lawyers will have access to discovery within 14 days.
It was the second courtroom visit for Mr Trump in recent months. In April, he pleaded not guilty to state charges in New York stemming from a hush-money payment to a porn star.
Mr Trump faces charges that include violations of the Espionage Act, which criminalises unauthorised possession of defence information, and conspiracy to obstruct justice, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. That is the maximum sentence he faces, as he would serve any sentences concurrently if convicted.
Mr Smith accuses Mr Trump of risking national secrets by taking thousands of sensitive papers with him when he left the White House in January 2021, and storing them in a haphazard manner at his Mar-a-Lago estate and his New Jersey golf club, according to a grand jury indictment released last week.
Photos included in the indictment show boxes of documents stored on a ballroom stage, in a bathroom and strewn across a storage-room floor.
This image, contained in the indictment against Donald Trump, shows boxes of records stored in a bathroom at Mar-a-Lago. AP
Those records included information about the secretive US nuclear program and potential vulnerabilities in the event of an attack, the indictment said. The 37-count indictment alleges Mr Trump lied to officials who tried to get the documents back.
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How many counts is he indicted on?
Mr Trump, who is the first former president to be charged with federal crimes, outlined his broad legal defence.
"The law that applies to this case is not the Espionage Act, but very simply the Presidential Records Act, which is not even mentioned in this ridiculous 44-page indictment. Under the Presidential Records Act, which is civil, non criminal, I had every right to have these documents," he said.
But legal experts say the evidence amounts to a strong case, and Mr Smith has said Mr Trump, who will turn 77 on Wednesday, will have a "speedy" trial.
The judge assigned to the case, Aileen Cannon, was appointed by Mr Trump in 2020 and issued a ruling in his favour during the investigation last year that was reversed on appeal. Mr Goodman, the magistrate judge who conducted Tuesday's hearing, is not expected to play an ongoing role in the case.
Experts say the complexities of handling classified evidence and legal manoeuvring by Mr Trump's lawyers could delay a trial by more than a year.
Supporters outside the Miami court wearing "Make America Great Again" hats and carrying American flags chanted "Miami for Trump" and "Latinos for Trump" as the motorcade paused outside the courthouse. A man could be heard chanting, "USA! USA!"
Others carried signs saying "Trump you are not above the law".
Authorities had prepared for possible violence, recalling the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol, but Miami Mayor Francis Suarez told reporters that there had not been any security problems.
"There were no arrests, and you know it seemed sometimes like the press wanted there to be something happen," Mr Suarez said.
Veteran political pundit Larry Sabato noted that "by the looks of things, every circus in America has sent a delegation to Miami to rally for Trump".
Alina Habba, lawyer for former president Donald Trump, speaks outside the couthouse. AP
Always in campaign mode, Mr Trump swiftly pivoted from the solemn courtroom to a festive restaurant, stopping on his way out of Miami at Versailles, an iconic Cuban spot in the city's Little Havana neighbourhood where supporters serenaded Mr Trump with "Happy Birthday".
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How will his supporters react to this news?
Republican New Hampshire governor Chris Sununu along with presidential hopefuls including former New Jersey governor Chris Christie and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson came out against Mr Trump.
Even a member of the far-right Freedom Caucus Ken Buck raised concerns about the charges, saying: "I would not feel comfortable with a convicted felon in the White House."
Former chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former attorney-general William Barr have also criticised Mr Trump for his handling of the classified documents.
Others such as former rival Marco Rubio and the leading Republican in Congress, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, defended Mr Trump, deflecting attention toward Mr Biden's own handling of classified documents.
"We have a sitting president who possessed classified documents dating back decades to his time as vice-president and as a senator. Yet, he is now weaponising the federal government to go after his leading political opponent. Where is the equal justice under the law?"
Experts say it could be a year or more before a trial takes place and would need only one juror to acquit him from the charges. If a Republican wins in 2024, that person would have the opportunity to pardon Mr Trump and the case would be thrown out.
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What are the implications of a presidential pardon in this case?
Republican presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, committed himself to pardoning the former president if found guilty and called upon other candidates to do the same.
Mr Trump has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence and accuses Mr Biden's administration of targeting him. He called Mr Smith, who is leading the prosecution, a "Trump hater" on social media.
"ONE OF THE SADDEST DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY. WE ARE A NATION IN DECLINE!!!" Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform shortly before his motorcade left the Trump Doral hotel for the courthouse.
Mr Trump's legal woes have not hurt his standing with Republican voters, with a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday showing 81 per cent of Republican voters viewing the charges as politically motivated.
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Is this indictment politically motivated?