Trump departs for Florida ahead of federal court appearance

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Trump flies to Florida ahead of federal court appearance

Former President Donald Trump waved as he boarded his private jet to fly from Newark, New Jersey to Florida for a Tuesday appearance in federal court in Miami. (Courtesy: WABC)

Former President Donald Trump departed from Newark, New Jersey, on his private jet to appear in a Miami federal court on Monday.

Images show Trump exiting a black SUV and ascending the steps to his personal plane. He faces an indictment on 37 charges ranging from withholding national defense documents to making false statements. Law enforcement groups are already preparing for potential protests in Miami and at Trump's residence at his Mar-a-Lago club.

The trip is Trump's second trip between the Northeast and Florida the former president has made this year to attend a court appearance relating to criminal charges against him. He also flew from Florida to New York City in early April to be arraigned on unrelated charges.

The 37 charges Trump faces this week include 31 counts of willfully withholding national defense information, three counts of withholding or concealing documents in a federal investigation, two counts of making false statements, and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice.

TRUMP INDICTED ON 37 FEDERAL COUNTS OUT OF SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH'S INVESTIGATION INTO CLASSIFIED RECORDS

Former President Donald Trump boards his airplane at Newark Liberty International Airport en route to Florida to face criminal charges pertaining to mishandling of classified documents.

TRUMP, LAWYERS PART WAYS AFTER FEDERAL INDICTMENT

Trump is scheduled to appear at a Miami federal courthouse on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Trump argues that he is the victim of a "political hit job" in the case, a long-standing claim he has made of various investigations into his dealings.

"I HOPE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS WATCHING WHAT THE RADICAL LEFT ARE DOING TO AMERICA," Trump wrote on social media before his plane took off.

Homeland Security officers place "police tape" in front of the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse, where Trump is scheduled to appear on Tuesday.

EXCLUSIVE: TRUMP SAYS INDICTMENT IS 'ELECTION INTERFERENCE AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL'

Among the various charges against Trump, Special Counsel Jack Smith alleges that the former president showed classified documents to others in 2021 – once in July 2021 at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, and once in August or September 2021.

"In July 2021, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey (The Bedminster Club), during an audio-recorded meeting with a writer, a publisher, and two members of his staff, none of whom possessed a security clearance, TRUMP showed and described a ‘plan of attack’ that TRUMP said was prepared for him by the Department of Defense and a senior military official. TRUMP told the individuals that the plan was ‘highly confidential’ and ‘secret,’" the indictment said. "TRUMP also said, ‘as president I could have declassified it,’ and, 'Now I can't, you know, but this is still a secret.'"

Photo from Mar-a-Lago included in the special counsel indictment of former President Donald Trump. (U.S. Department of Justice)

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Former Attorney General Bill Barr, a former ally of Trump's, has said the indictment is "very, very damning" for the president, adding that Trump may be "toast."

This is a developing story. Check back soon for updates.