On Thursday, Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, faced additional charges related to the retention of classified records and obstruction.
What Happened: Reacting to the new charges, Trump stated that the charges were “ridiculous” and that they were an example of “prosecutorial misconduct used at a level never seen before”.
He also suggested that the charges were politically motivated, stating that if he wasn’t leading in the polls, the charges “wouldn’t be happening,” reported Fox News.
Trump reportedly said, “But I am way up as a Republican and way up in the general election and this is what you get.”
Trump was charged with an additional count of willful retention of national defense information and two new obstruction counts.
These charges are part of a new “superseding” indictment from Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified records. Trump, who was indicted in June on similar charges, has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
See Also: Trump’s Lawyers Meet With Prosecutors As Third Indictment Looms For 45th President
Why It Matters: Trump hoped that the Republican Party would hopefully “do something about” the “abuse” the country was suffering from the Department of Justice, reported Fox News.
These charges add to the growing list of legal troubles for Trump, who has already faced two other indictments this year. The first indictment was related to a hush money payment made to an adult film star, and the second set of charges was tied to classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago residence, as reported by Benzinga.
Despite these legal challenges, Trump continues to lead in the polls for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination. His supporters have remained steadfast, with his campaign funding increasing around the indictment announcements, according to a previous report.
Read Next: Trump Pleads With Congress As Potential Indictment Over Capitol Riot Looms
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