Trump indictment live updates: Special counsel describes gravity of alleged crimes, experts call charges ‘damning’

Donald Trump has become the first U.S. president, former or otherwise, to be indicted on federal criminal charges.

The 37-count indictment against him was made public Friday afternoon, a day after Trump was charged in the case in U.S. District Court in Miami.

“Today, an indictment was unsealed charging Donald J. Trump with felony violations of our national security laws as well as participating in a conspiracy to obstruct justice,” special counsel Jack Smith said in brief remarks Friday. “I invite everyone to read it in full to understand the scope and the gravity of the crimes charged.”

He added: “The men and women of the United States intelligence community and our Armed Forces dedicate their lives to protecting our nation and its people.”

Thirty-one counts charge that Trump willfully retained national defense information, a violation of the Espionage Act. The other six allege that Trump caused false statements to be made, concealed documents from investigators, obstructed justice and allegedly conspired to do these things.

Trump, the leading contender for the GOP presidential nomination next year, is scheduled to appear Tuesday at a federal courthouse in Miami. He is still set to hold a previously scheduled birthday eve fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Tuesday night, the Trump campaign confirmed to NBC News.

Trump had kept reams of classified documents in boxes at his Mar-a-Lago resort in South Florida until federal agents raided it last year and seized the records.

The ex-president said he’s innocent and ripped the case as a hoax.

Trump attorney Jim Trusty, appearing on NBC on Friday morning, said Trump is ready for a battle. “He’s a fighter, and he’s going to come out swinging, and he’ll be fine,” Trusty said. “He’s not afraid of this thing.” Hours later, in a shocking turn of events, Trusty and another attorney on the team, John Rowley, resigned from the case.

Smith said he would seek a “speedy” trial for Trump. The special counsel has been investigating Trump over the removal of classified documents from the White House after he left office, as well as apparent efforts by Trump and his aides to potentially stymie the government’s investigation.

This is the second time Trump has been indicted. Earlier this year, a grand jury in New York indicted Trump on state charges for allegedly falsifying business records related to hush money payments to women who said they had sexual trysts with him.

Trump still faces two other criminal probes, as well: Smith’s investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump riot at the U.S. Capitol, and an inquiry in Georgia looking into whether he attempted to interfere with the presidential election in that state.

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–CNBC’s Chelsey Cox, Rohan Goswami and Amanda Macias also contributed to this live blog.