Former President Donald J. Trump is facing federal criminal charges for mishandling classified documents he kept after leaving office, according to the Justice Department. He has been accused of retaining national defense secrets in violation of the Espionage Act, making false statements and obstructing justice. He confirmed on his social media platform that he has been indicted and is expected to surrender to authorities on Tuesday. This indictment, handed up by a grand jury in Federal District Court in Miami, is the first time a former president has faced federal charges. Trump’s legal team has not been shown the indictment itself but has been given a summary sheet which details the charges. The saga of Mr. Trump’s mishandling of government documents dates back to 2021 when the National Archives discovered he had failed to return certain records after leaving office.
