Former US President Donald Trump on Thursday reacted to the new federal charges announced against him in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into his handling of classified documents after departing the White House.
“This is prosecutorial misconduct used at a level never seen before,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “If I weren’t leading Biden by a lot in numerous polls, and wasn’t going to be the Republican nominee, it wouldn’t be happening. It wouldn’t be happening.”
“Hopefully the Republican Party will do something about it,” he continued.
The superseding indictment filed in the federal court in Florida comes on top of the 37 charges, including Espionage Act violations, the former president was already facing.
Trump, who pleaded not guilty to those charges last month, ordered the deletion of a computer server holding incriminating security camera footage, according to the new indictment.
Despite being twice indicted, and facing the prospect of more criminal charges, Trump remains the front-runner in the GOP primary race.
Trump’s Republican allies have already stepped up to defend him, including House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, who claimed the investigation was a “witch hunt.”
The superseding indictment slaps Trump with additional counts of wilful retention of documents and obstruction of justice.
A third person, Carlos De Oliveira, was also named as a defendant in the case. De Oliveira was the Mar-a-Lago property manager who helped Trump aide Will Nauta, who also faces charges, move boxes of classified documents around the Florida estate, prosecutors allege.
Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty.
Trump’s lawyers met with Smith’s team Thursday ahead of yet another possible indictment over his efforts to undo Joe Biden’s win in the 2020 election. Earlier this month, though, Smith sent Trump a target letter, and Trump said he expected to be indicted.
Trump also has been charged with felonies in New York over his role in a hush money payment scheme involving porn star Stormy Daniels.
He also may be charged in Georgia over efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. Authorities put up security barriers outside the Fulton County courthouse Thursday, fueling speculation that a decision is near.