Trump calls federal indictment 'baseless'

WASHINGTON — Former US President Donald Trump blasted his historic federal indictment as "ridiculous" and "baseless" on Saturday during his first public appearances since the charges were unsealed, painting the 37 felony counts as an attack on his supporters as he tried to turn dire legal peril to political advantage and project a sense of normalcy.

Speaking at Republican state conventions in Georgia and North Carolina, Trump cast his indictment by the Department of Justice as an attempt to damage his chances of returning to the White House as he campaigns for a second term.

"They've launched one witch hunt after another to try and stop our movement, to thwart the will of the American people," Trump said in Georgia, later telling the crowd: "In the end, they're not coming after me. They're coming after you."

The strategy is a well-worn one for Trump, The Associated Press reported. Trump remains the front-runner for next year's Republican nomination despite his mounting legal woes, which also include criminal charges filed against him in March in New York.

Trump also vowed on Saturday to remain in the race, even if he is convicted in the case. "I'll never leave," he told Politico in an interview aboard his plane after his speech in Georgia. He predicted that he would not be convicted and sidestepped questions about whether he would pardon himself if he wins a second term.

The unauthorized disclosure of the classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the US military and human sources, and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods, the indictment said.

It alleged that Trump stored the classified documents in various locations, including "a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom and a storage room" at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, which was "an active social club "not authorized for the storage, possession or discussion of the documents.

Claiming that he is "an innocent man" and "did nothing wrong", Trump said in response to the indictment on his social media platform Truth Social that "they come after me because now we are leading in the polls by a lot against Biden".

"It's called election interference. They are trying to destroy your reputation so they can win an election," he said in a video posted on the platform.

Trump is set to appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday.

Agencies - Xinhua