Former US President Donald Trump greeted supporters in a camera-ready scene resembling a campaign stop, and later he railed against the charges before a friendly crowd of invited guests at a private golf club he owns.
A crowd of Donald Trump supporters gathered in a restaurant following a hearing in the Florida federal court, where the former US president appeared in the Mar-a-Lago case for mishandling top secret government documents, serenaded him with a "Happy Birthday" song, a day before his 77th birthday.
In a history-making appearance on Tuesday as a criminal defendant, Trump pleaded “not guilty” before the court in downtown Miami and called the current US president “corrupt” for arresting his “top political opponent” on “fake and fabricated charges”.
"Some birthday! We've got a government that's out of control," Trump said, speaking to his supporters outside an iconic Cuban restaurant in Miami after the hearing.
He greeted waiting supporters in a camera-ready scene resembling a campaign stop, and later he railed against the charges before a friendly crowd of invited guests at a private golf club he owns.
Trump has frequently visited local restaurants during his campaign trips, partly to contrast his easy rapport with his supporters with his chief Republican rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. But Tuesday's stop was different, aimed at showcasing Trump's continued support from GOP voters and signalling that he remains unbowed by the indictments.
He bowed his head with two pastors and a rabbi for a moment of prayer, shook hands with supporters and even managed to crack some smiles and jokes as he posed for photos, including one with UFC fighter Jorge Masvidal.
Then Trump flew on his private jet to New Jersey, where backers welcomed him with rally-like enthusiasm, music and chants for a speech delivered before a clubhouse with columns resembling the White House. The remarks, with live coverage only from his favoured cable channel, were rife with errors and falsehoods that went unchallenged at the moment.
The whirling drama surrounding Donald Trump overshadowed most other news.
Notably, the magistrate judge overseeing Trump's court appearance did not restrict him from leaving the country but ruled that the former president can talk to his co-defendant, valet Walt Nauta, and potential witnesses about their jobs but not about the case.
The history-making court appearance centred on charges that Trump mishandled government secrets that as commander-in-chief he was entrusted to protect. It kickstarts a legal process that could unfold at the height of the 2024 presidential campaign and carry profound consequences not only for his political future but also for his own personal liberty.
Meanwhile, as the ongoing federal case over classified documents in Florida and the New York hush money case play out in court, Trump has other legal worries on his mind.