Trump's Courtroom Drama Begins

Former President Donald Trump is set to surrender to authorities and appear in a federal courtroom to face charges related to the illegal retention of classified national-security documents after leaving the White House. The hearing, expected to draw crowds of supporters and detractors, marks the beginning of the unprecedented federal criminal case against the former president. Trump, currently the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2024 campaign, has denied any wrongdoing and portrayed the indictment as a politically motivated effort against him. Law enforcement officials are preparing for possible unrest or clashes among protesters. Trump's valet, Walt Nauta, who worked at Mar-a-Lago resort, also faces charges and will appear in court alongside Trump. The indictment alleges that Trump held on to classified documents shared them with others, and directed his staff to help him evade authorities. The case has been assigned to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, whom Trump appointed in 2020.