Trump’s First Court Appearance Nears, No Mug Shot to Be Taken

Former President Donald Trump is set to make his first court appearance Tuesday at 3 p.m. ET after being indicted on 37 charges related to retaining national-defense information under the Espionage Act of 1917.

The indictment is the first in U.S. history of a former president.

Sources told The Associated Press that Trump is not expected to have a mugshot taken when he surrenders to authorities in federal court in Miami to face charges in special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment, which alleges violation of the Espionage Age and other process crimes.

Trump reportedly did not get a mug shot taken during his processing for his Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s indictment earlier this spring.

Security was tight outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson federal courthouse Tuesday ahead of the former president’s court appearance.

Trump supporters were gathering hours before the appearance — far outnumbered by the hundreds of journalists from the U.S. and around the world who have converged on downtown Miami.

The case against him is historic but does not prohibit Trump from continuing his 2024 presidential campaign.

After the court appearance, where he could be arraigned and file his not guilty plea, Trump planned to fly to his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, to give an address and host a Trump campaign fundraiser.

The Trump campaign has set a $2 million goal for the fundraiser, which intends to line up big-dollar bundlers for his presidential run, Axios reported Monday.

Trump’s campaign has intensified his fundraising efforts in the meantime, including an email Tuesday morning with the subject line: “My last email before my arraignment.”

Information from the AP was used as background for this report.