MIAMI: Former US president Donald Trump was arrested at the federal courthouse in Florida on Tuesday, and pleaded not guilty to federal criminal charges that he unlawfully kept national security documents when he left office and lied to officials who sought to recover them, CNN reported.

Deputy marshals booked the former president and took his fingerprints, while his aide and co-defendant, Walt Nauta was also arrested, fingerprinted and processed.

Trump’s plea, entered before US Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman in a federal court in Miami, sets up a legal battle likely to play out over coming months as he campaigns to win back the presidency in a November 2024 election.

The hearing was closed to cameras and live broadcasts.

It was the second courtroom visit for Trump in recent months. In April, he pleaded not guilty to state charges in New York stemming from a hush-money payment to a porn star.

Trump is the first former president to be char­ged with federal crimes.

Trump has repeatedly proclaimed his innocence and accuses Democratic President Joe Biden’s administration of targeting him.

He called Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the prosecution, a “Trump hater” on social media on Tuesday.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2023