No two criminal arraignments are identical, as Donald Trump can now attest. When the former US president appeared in a federal court in downtown Miami on Tuesday to face criminal charges related to mishandling classified documents after leaving office, there were similarities to his previous appearance in a Manhattan court just over two months prior. Both occasions were historic yet routine, with motorcades racing through city streets and Trump entering the courthouse through backdoor entrances. Once again, Trump, known for his dominance, took on a passive role as judges and lawyers did the talking. Both events raised concerns about political violence but turned into bizarre street carnivals with conspiracy theories and unexpected alliances. Where else would one find Black For Trump members fist-bumping a QAnon supporter while a man draped in Cuban and American flags stood nearby with a pig’s head on a wooden stake? However, Miami is not New York. Its Wilkie D Ferguson Jr federal courthouse, resembling a cruise ship, was built in 2007 and is a place where Trump is beloved rather than reviled. In fact, Republicans won the wider county in November’s midterm elections for the first time in 20 years. Unlike Trump’s first arraignment, the majority of the crowd that gathered outside the hearing on Tuesday were there to support him. Many were Latino immigrants who passionately despised socialism, having experienced it in their home countries. They saw Trump’s prosecution under a Democratic administration as evidence of the same evil taking root in the US. The crowd, though smaller than expected, grew as Trump’s appearance approached. Instead of staying at his iconic Trump Tower as he did before his first arraignment, this time he stayed at his Trump National Doral golf resort, where he met with lawyers. When a motorcade of five dark SUVs arrived at the courthouse just before 2pm, construction workers and gym-goers nearby looked on. Trump, already one of the most recognizable people in the world, was not photographed, as there is ample material to create a wanted poster if he were to flee. However, he did undergo digital fingerprinting. In a 13th-floor courtroom, seated between his lawyers, Trump spent approximately an hour facing Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman. His lawyers entered a “not guilty” plea on his behalf, and most of the session was focused on the terms of his release. Trump displayed a stern and furious expression throughout the proceedings. He does not need to post a financial bond or surrender his passport, though he was ordered not to communicate about the case with government witnesses or his co-defendant, Waltine Nauta. After signing the bond, Trump briefly faced reporters before exiting through a side door. As his motorcade left, an anti-Trump protester dressed as an inmate threw himself in front of the car but was promptly detained. Trump made an unannounced stop at Café Versailles, a beloved Cuban-American restaurant in Little Havana, where he posed for photos and embraced supporters. As Trump’s legal troubles continue to mount, his allies are attempting to navigate the delicate task of distancing themselves from him for the Republican party’s presidential nomination without alienating his base. It remains uncertain how successful their efforts will be. Despite their support for Trump, some of his followers, like Canadian pro-Trump video streamer Shay Eagle, admitted to not having read the criminal indictment against the ex-president, claiming it was too lengthy. However, they remained open to voting for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis if Trump were to be convicted. Trump himself, unyielding as ever, delivered an address laden with falsehoods at his Bedminster golf club, declaring the charges against him to be an “evil and heinous abuse of power” and claiming to be the only one who followed the law.
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