Former President Trump has been indicted on federal charges that emerged out of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s months-long investigation.

Trump facing at least seven federal counts related to document handling and obstruction of justice. He has been ordered to appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday.

Trump himself announced the indictment on his social media platform, Truth Social.

‘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,’ Trump said on Truth Social.

Trump said he has ‘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,’ Trump posted. ‘I AM AN INNOCENT MAN!’ 

Trump added: ‘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!’ 

It is unclear what, specifically, Trump has been charged for. 

This is the second time Trump has been indicted this year. Trump pleaded not guilty in April after being charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.

Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022 to investigate Trump’s alleged improper retention of classified records at his Mar-a-Lago home.

The Justice Department had been investigating the matter after the FBI conducted an unprecedented raid on his private residence in August 2022.

NARA told Congress in February 2022 that Trump took 15 boxes of presidential records to his personal residence in Florida. NARA recovered the 15 boxes from Mar-a-Lago and ‘identified items marked as classified national security information within the boxes.’ The matter was referred to the Justice Department by NARA. 

Those boxes allegedly contained ‘classified national security information,’ and official correspondence between Trump and foreign heads of state.

Classified material that was reportedly confiscated by the FBI during the FBI’s raid in August included a letter to Trump from former President Obama, a letter from Kim Jong Un, a birthday dinner menu and a cocktail napkin.

Trump, last year, said the National Archives did not ‘find’ the documents, but that they were ‘given, upon request.’ Sources close to the former president said he had been cooperating and there was ‘no need’ for the raid.

The affidavit said that the FBI’s investigation had ‘established that documents bearing classification markings, which appear to contain National Defense Information (NDI), were among the materials contained’ in the 15 boxes Trump initially turned over to the NARA. 

‘A preliminary triage of the documents with classification markings revealed the following approximate numbers: 184 unique documents bearing classification markings, including 67 documents marked as CONFIDENTIAL, 92 documents marked as SECRET, and 25 documents marked as TOP SECRET,’ the affidavit states. 

The FBI said it had ‘probable cause to believe’ that additional records containing classified information, including National Defense Information, would be found on the premises of Mar-a-Lago home, beyond what he had previously turned over to the NARA, according to the unsealed and heavily-redacted affidavit used to justify the raid. 

According to the property receipt from the Aug. 8, 2022 FBI raid, FBI agents took approximately 20 boxes of items from the premises, including one set of documents marked as ‘Various classified/TS/SCI documents,’ which refers to top secret/sensitive compartmented information.

Records covered by that government classification level could potentially include human intelligence and information that, if disclosed, could jeopardize relations between the U.S. and other nations, as well as the lives of intelligence operatives abroad. However, the classification also encompasses national security information related to the daily operations of the president of the United States.

The property receipt also showed that FBI agents collected four sets of top secret documents, three sets of secret documents and three sets of confidential documents, but the document does not reveal any details about any of those records.

The government conducted the search in response to what it believed to be a violation of federal laws: 18 USC 793 — gathering, transmitting or losing defense information; 18 USC 2071 — concealment, removal or mutilation; and 18 USC 1519 — destruction, alteration or falsification of records in federal investigations. 

The allegation of ‘gathering, transmitting or losing defense information’ falls under the Espionage Act.

The indictment comes after classified records were also discovered in President Biden’s office at the Penn Biden Center last year. Those records were from his time as vice president during the Obama administration and from his tenure in the U.S. Senate.

At the time, Garland initially chose U.S. Attorney John Lausch to conduct a review of classified records that were discovered at the Penn Biden Center. In December, more classified records were found at Biden’s Wilmington, Delaware home, but the discoveries were not made public until this year.

Garland later appointed U.S. Attorney Robert Hur as special counsel to investigate Biden’s improper retention of classified records. Hur took over the DOJ investigation from Lausch.

Meanwhile, classified records were also found at former Vice President Mike Pence’s home in Indiana.

Fox News reported last week that the Justice Department had completed its investigation in the matter and that Pence will not be charged.

The status of Biden’s special counsel investigation is unclear.

Smith also took over the Justice Department’s investigation into the Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021. In that role, he examined whether Trump or other officials interfered with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election, including the certification of the Electoral College vote on that day.

The U.S. Department of Defense does not support hosting drag shows at military installations and facilities, according to a DOD spokesperson.

Pentagon press secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder was asked during a press briefing Thursday about a policy rolled out by the Pentagon aimed at banning drag shows on military installations.

A bill pushed by Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., contained language that ‘appropriated or otherwise made available for the Department of Defense and no facilities owned or operated by Department of Defense may be used to host, advertise, or otherwise support an adult cabaret performance.’

Specifically, ‘Adult Cabaret’ was defined as a performance featuring topless or go-go dances, exotic dances, or any show featuring male or female impersonations that appeal to prurient interest.

In light of the proposed legislation, and under intense scrutiny, military installations canceled planned Pride Month drag shows.

During Thursday’s press briefing, a reporter asked what message service members should take away from the policy change, especially since it was rolled out at the beginning of Pride month.

Ryder told the reporter the military recognizes June as Pride month, adding that they are grateful for the many contributions from service members and DOD civilian employees from the LGBTQI+ community who serve the country.

‘As you well know, those of you who’ve covered DOD, we conduct special observance months to recognize the continuous achievements of all Americans into American culture for increased awareness, mutual respect and understanding to include Pride month,’ Ryder said. ‘When it comes to drag shows, however, you know, I would take exception.’

He said it has been a ‘longstanding policy’ that the DOD will not host drag events at U.S. military installations or facilities.

‘We became aware of the drag events during an April congressional hearing, that there were drag events scheduled to take place at DOD installations and facilities,’ he said. ‘And so, again, the secretary advised that the department will not host such events.’

More Americans are now identifying as socially and economically conservative than at any point in more than a decade, a new Gallup poll has found.

According to the poll, 38% of Americans say they are conservative on social issues, up from 33% last year and 30% in 2021. That is the highest percentage since 2012, when the same number of Americans identified as such.

Americans identifying as liberal dropped significantly, falling to 29% from 34% in both 2022 and 2021. Those identifying as moderate made up 31% of survey participants.

When broken down by political affiliation, Republicans had the largest swing towards conservatism with 74% saying they identified as socially conservative. That number was 68% in 2022 and 60% in 2021.

Independents went in the same direction with 29% identifying as socially conservative, up from 26% in 2022 and 24% in 2021. Democrats continued to hover at around 10%.

Americans aged 18-29 also saw a big swing towards conservatism with 30% identifying as socially conservative, up from 26% in 2022 and 24% in 2021. Americans aged 30-49 and 50-64 trended in the same direction, with the former moving up to 35% from 27% in 2022 and 22% in 2021, and the latter up to 46% from 36% in 2022 and 35% in 2021.

Those identifying as economically conservative also hit its highest point since 2012, reaching 44%. Those identifying as moderate were at 33% and liberal at 21%.

In terms of political affiliation, 79% of Republicans said they identified as economically conservative, while 36% of independents and 16% of Democrats said the same.

The poll’s findings come as the nation continues to grapple with efforts from the left to push transgender ideology on American society. Conservatives have sought to counter those efforts with state-level laws banning things like gender transition treatments for children and boycotts against corporations for promoting such ideologies.

President Biden on Thursday railed against who he called ‘hysterical’ and ‘prejudiced’ lawmakers enacting laws across the country banning gender transition surgeries for children.

Biden made the comments during an appearance at a joint press conference with U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, after being asked by a reporter about the laws being enacted to protect minors, or their parents, from making irreversible changes to their bodies.

‘As president, I was proud to end the band on transgender troops in our military, signed the Respect for Marriage Act, strengthen the civil rights protections for all LGBT Americans and advance LGBT human rights around the globe,’ Biden said. 

‘But our fight is far, far from over because we have some hysterical and, I would argue, prejudiced people who are engaged in all that you see going on around the country. It’s an appeal to fear, and it’s an appeal that is totally, thoroughly unjustified, and ugly,’ he said. 

He went on to call the bills ‘hateful,’ and claimed they were ‘targeting transgender children, terrifying families, and criminalizing doctors.’

Biden then repeated the trope often used by Democrats to describe children as collectively belonging to the nation, rather than their parents.

‘These are our kids. These are our neighbors. It’s cruel and it’s callous. It’s not somebody else’s kids, they’re all our kids. Our children are the kite strings that hold our national ambitions aloft. It matters a great deal how we treat everyone in this country,’ he said. 

He added that he planned to announce new initiatives at a ‘Pride Day’ event that was postponed due to the air quality in D.C. being negatively impacted by the smoke from the ongoing Canadian wildfires.

Those initiatives, Biden said, included strengthening ‘the physical safety, the dedicated resources, the federal coordination to better protect pride celebrations, marches, community centers, health care providers and small businesses.’ 

He said his administration would also be addressing what he called ‘civil rights violations,’ such as ‘book bans’ that he claimed ‘make it harder for kids to learn.’ 

‘We’re also engaging in mental health and other support – more mental health resources and funding to help families support their kids, new efforts to protect LGBTQ kids in foster care, and steps to end LGBTQ homelessness,’ Biden said.

‘Congress has to pass … the Equality Act and send it to my desk. LGBTQ Americans, especially children, you’re loved, you’re heard, and this administration has your back, and I mean it. We are not relenting one single second to make sure that they’re protected,’ he added.

Earlier this week, Missouri became the latest state to ban gender treatment for minors, following Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signing a similar bill into law last week. At least 20 states have now enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors. 

Lawyers argued in favor of redrawing New York’s congressional map Thursday before a state appeals court. A victory for the plaintiffs in the Democrat-backed suit may mean reinstating a brutal gerrymander that was struck down last year.Should Democrats attempt to reinstate their original map, up to seven Republican representatives — including Michael Lawler, Nicole Malliotakis and George Santos — could face near-unwinnable battles for re-election.Republicans have slammed the suit as an attempted partisan power-grab. ‘[The plaintiffs’] goal here, if they win, would be to put this case back in the backrooms of Albany and in D.C., so they can gerrymander the state,’ Former Republican Rep. John Faso said of the case.

Lawyers seeking redrawn congressional lines in New York argued before a state appeals court Thursday in a Democrat-backed lawsuit that could have implications in the 2024 fight for control of the House.

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of 10 New York voters who want a state redistricting commission to submit new proposed state congressional lines for 2024. A victory for the plaintiffs would scrap lines drafted for 2022 by an outside expert after a legal challenge. Republicans were able to flip four congressional seats in New York under those lines.

Democrats who support the lawsuit said they want to ensure that a state commission approved by voters prior to the 2022 election, to draw political maps, gets to fulfill its constitutional duty. Republicans accused Democrats of seeking a political advantage.

‘Their goal here, if they win, would be to put this case back in the backrooms of Albany and in D.C., so they can gerrymander the state,’ former Republican Rep. John Faso said after the arguments in the appellate division of the state Supreme Court.

New York’s political maps for 2022 were supposed to have been drawn by the state’s Independent Redistricting Commission, a body made up of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. But the commission failed to reach a consensus and the Democrat-controlled Legislature stepped in and created its own maps.

The Legislature’s maps would have given Democrats a strong majority of registered voters in 22 of the state’s 26 congressional districts. Republicans accused the Democrats of gerrymandering.

After a court challenge, New York’s highest court ruled the Legislature lacked the authority to redraw the lines. The Court of Appeals handed authority to draw new district maps to an expert, who drew up more competitive congressional districts.

Republicans were able to gain seats in New York under those maps, including one held by Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who ran the House Democrats’ campaign arm. The Republican romp in New York came even as Democrats ran stronger than expected nationally.

Republicans currently hold a 222-213 edge over Democrats in the House.

The voters filed a lawsuit last year against the commission and its members, alleging violations of the state Constitution’s redistricting commission provisions. They seek to compel the commission to submit new proposed congressional lines.

A state trial court judge in Albany rejected the request in September.

In April, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and State Attorney General Letitia James jointly filed a friend-of-the-court brief in favor of legal action.

The voters’ lawyer told the five-judge panel Thursday that the redistricting process approved by voters was never completed.

‘The IRC indisputably did not meet the constitutionally mandated duty it had to draw the congressional map,’ attorney Aria Branch told the judges.

Lawyers who want to keep the 2022 maps argued that they are constitutional and should remain in place for the rest of the decade.

The case is expected to ultimately be decided by the state Court of Appeals.

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