Trump heads to famous Cuban restaurant Versailles in Miami after court
‘Food for everyone!’: Trump heads to famous Cuban restaurant Versailles in Miami after pleading not guilty to 37 counts – and customers sing him Happy Birthday
- Former President Donald Trump stopped at the iconic Cuban restaurant Versailles in Miami Tuesday after leaving federal court
- There he prayed with religious leaders and took a photo with mixed martial arts fighter Jorge Masvidal, as onlookers sang to him ‘Happy Birthday’
- Trump complained about a ‘government that’s out of control’ and teased his Tuesday night speech in Bedminster, New Jersey
Former President Donald Trump left federal court Tuesday and made a surprise stop at the iconic Cuban restaurant Versailles in Miami before departing Florida for his Bedminster, New Jersey resort.
There he prayed with religious leaders, took a photo with mixed martial arts fighter Jorge Masvidal, complained about a ‘government that’s out of control’ and was sang ‘Happy Birthday.’
The ex-president turns 77 Wednesday.
‘Food for everyone!’ the ex-president exclaimed at one point, as he pushed through the crowd of supporters and reporters, noting that a ‘great group’ was assembled.
Asked how he thought it was doing – after spending the day getting arrested, fingerprinted and charged with 37 federal crimes – Trump responded, ‘I think it’s going great.’
‘I think it’s a rigged deal here,’ he said. ‘I’m goint to make a little speech tonight in Bedminster and I hope you’re going to be there,’ the ex-president also said.
Both Trump and his aide Walt Nauta were charged in a scheme to keep classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. Nauta walked alongside Trump at Versailles.
Former President Donald Trump takes a selfie during his stop at the Miami Cuban restaurant Versailles, which he visited after federal court Tuesday
Former President Donald Trump waves as he departs Versailles, an iconic Cuban restaurant in Miami Tuesday, where he made a brief stop after his appearance in federal court
Former President Donald Trump’s motorcade is seen outside the Cuban restaurant Versailles in Miami Tuesday
The former president (right) posed for a photo with mixed martial arts fighter Jorge Masvidal (left) at the Miami Cuban restaurant Versailles Tuesday
In court earlier, the 76-year-old pleaded not guilty to 37 counts when he faced a judge in Miami after being booked and fingerprinted in the downtown Miami court complex.
Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is handling the case for the Department of Justice, was seated in the front row of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman’s courtroom, while the ex-president was seated with his lawyers.
Trump’s has called Smith a variety of names, including a ‘deranged psycho.’
The court case kicked off just before 3 p.m. EST. Trump was released and no bond was set. After about 20 minutes of arguing by opposing lawyers, the court ruled that Trump can’t talk to witnesses, including Nauta, about the case. Trump keeps his passport and remains free to travel.
Earlier Trump was arrested and fingerprinted, but was not handcuffed and no mugshot was taken. The booking procedure wrapped up shortly before 2:30 p.m.
The back-and-forth about a list of witnesses whom Trump can’t interact with hints at some of the complexities of the case.
A raft of government witnesses include Trump employees at Mar-a-Lago. The stunning indictment released last week includes information that came from Trump lawyer Evan Corcoran. Nauta remains a close aide who according to the indictment exchanged messages with a Trump family members about boxes and flights.
Former President Donald Trump gave a brief wave to a group of supporters lined up outside his golf course before the stream of black SUVs and cop cars began their procession along empty highways
Supporters of former President Donald Trump wait for his arrival Tuesday at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami, Florida as police circle the building
The 76-year-old is facing 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents that included U.S. nuclear secrets and intelligence on foreign countries
A short time later the motorcade went underneath the court, where Trump will be processed and fingerprinted before he has the 37 charges read to him
Trump posted on Truth Social while sat in the motorcade on his way to the courthouse
Donald Trump has left his Miami hotel on his way to his historic appearance in a federal courthouse on charges he wilfully mishandled the nation’s biggest secrets
Trump’s lawyers, Chris Kise and Todd Blanche, argued that he needs to be able to be in contact with people in his employ.
The court’s compromise allows Trump to speak with people who are witnesses in the case but not talk with them about the case itself.
When Trump’s hearing was complete, there was still more drama to come. A man decked out in old-fashioned prison garb jumped in front of the former president’s motorcade, only to be steered away by law enforcement.
Then, the president’s motorcade made a beeline to the famed Versailles restaurant in Miami.
Crowds cheered Trump outside the Cuban restaurant, a regular on the political circuit. Trump greeted supporters inside the restaurant, while supporters inside changed ‘U.S.A.!’
The former president’s motorcade left Trump National Doral Miami and took off on the journey downtown where hundreds of MAGA supporters and protesters were there to greet him.
During the drive Trump shared his fury with a Truth Social post saying: ‘ON MY WAY TO COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA.’
He gave a brief wave to a group of supporters lined up outside his golf course before the stream of black SUVs and cop cars began their procession along empty highways.
Nauta, the loyal aide who prosecutors say helped Trump move documents around Mar-a-Lago, was in the motorcade with him awaiting his own appearance in front of the judge.
The 76-year-old is facing 37 federal charges related to his handling of classified documents that included U.S. nuclear secrets and intelligence on foreign countries.
The allegations were revealed in the bombshell federal indictment unsealed on Friday – and included photos of boxes of sensitive files scattered around Mar-a-Lago.
His supporters and protesters started swarming the courthouse on Tuesday morning, waiting for his showdown with a judge.
Trump brought a number of loyal aides to Miami with him including Jason Miller, Boris Epshteyn and Margo Martin.
Outside the courthouse, Trump lawyer Alina Habba blasted the prosecution – as well as Trump probes underway in other jurisdictions. ‘Destruction of the longstanding American principles that have set this country part for so long.
In recent years, we have seen the rise of politically motivated prosecutors who don’t care for impartiality don’t care for due process for equal protection of laws,’ she said.
Alina Habba (right), a lawyer for former President Donald Trump, arrives at the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse in Miami Tuesday as th ex-president appears in federal court
Trump aide Margo Martin checks her phone outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse in Miami
Trump lawyer Alina Habba gives a thumbs up outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami Tuesday
‘They have been quietly, but aggressively cultivating a two-tiered system of justice. From the Russia hoax to the attorney generals to the corrupt Das in Georgia and New York. And now this. The people in charge of this country do not love America. They hate Donald Trump.’
Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy called on all presidential candidates to vow they would pardon Trump during a press conference outside.
He said that he would quash any conviction against the former president for mishandling classified documents, obstructing justice and making false statements
Trump, meanwhile, took to his Truth Social platform to rail against Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the Department of Justice’s case.
‘This is the Thug, over turned consistently and unanimously in big cases, that Biden and his CORRUPT Injustice Department stuck on me. He’s a Radical Right Lunatic and Trump Hater, as are all his friends and family, who probably “planted” information in the “boxes” given to them. They taint everything that they touch, including our Country, which is rapidly going to HELL!,’ he complained.
There were only a handful of people on hand early in the morning but officials expected that number to increase as the time of Trump’s arrival got closer.
One of the early arrivals was a group wearing ‘Blacks for Trump’ t-shirts.
Another man, wearing the American flag, carried a stick with a pig’s head through it.
Many of Trump’s supporters were coordinating their movements on Twitter.
Kari Lake, the failed Arizona gubernatorial candidate who is a huge supporter of the former president, tweeted that she will be joining protesters Tuesday.
Reporters lined up to get one of the 300 seats in the overflow room inside the courthouse. Only 20 journalists and members of the public will be let inside the actual courtroom where Trump will be arraigned.
Meanwhile, Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday found that 81 percent of Republicans thought the charges against Trump were politically motivated.
The poll also found that Trump still leads his rivals for the GOP presidential nomination by a wide margin.
About 43 percent of Republicans said Trump was their preferred candidate, compared to 22 per cent who picked Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump’s closest rival.
Department of Homeland Security police investigate a loading dock area for the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse before the arraignment of former President Donald Trump Tuesday
The former president’s motorcade left Trump National Doral Miami and took off on the 25-minute journey downtown where he will be processed and fingerprinted before he is read the bombshell charges against him
Cops cleared the highway as his motorcade made the journey to the court for his second appearance in front of a judge in three months
Members of law enforcement wearing riot gear ride at the Wilkie D. Ferguson, Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami ahead of Donald Trump’s arraignment
A Trump opponent carries a pig head on a stick outside the Miami courthouse where the former president will appear on Tuesday afternoon
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