Special Counsel Jack Smith said during a short briefing on Friday that laws "apply to everyone," referring to former President Donald Trump's indictment in the classified documents case.
Smith, who was appointed by the Department of Justice to oversee the case, said that Trump is facing charges related to violations of U.S. national security laws and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He added that the indictment was voted by a grand jury in the Southern District of Florida.
"We have one set of laws in this country and they apply to everyone. Applying those laws, collecting facts, that's what determines the outcome of an investigation. Nothing more and nothing less," Smith said.
The special counsel urged everyone to read the indictment to understand the "gravity" of the crimes charged and said that prosecutors in his office will continue to apply the "highest ethical standards" as they continued to work on the case.
Trump has been charged for the way he handled hundreds of classified documents since leaving the White House in January 2021.
Last August, the FBI recovered classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, months after he was issued a grand jury subpoena in May 2022 that required him to return all documents in his possession that were marked classified. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has said he declassified the documents before taking them from the White House.
"Our laws that protect national defense information are critical to the safety and security of the United States and they must be enforced. Violations of those laws put our country at risk," Smith said during the briefing.
Trump reacted to the news of his indictment in a series of Truth Social posts on Thursday night, accusing the Biden administration of being "corrupt," maintaining his innocence, and calling it a "dark day" for America. He said that he is scheduled to be arraigned in Miami on Tuesday.
"This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America. We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline, but together we will Make America Great Again!" he said of the indictment.
Trump is the first former president in U.S. history to face federal charges. He is running again for the presidency in 2024, despite calls for him to drop out of the race.
"It's very important for me to note that the defendants in this case must be presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law," Smith said on Friday. "To that end, my office will seek a speedy trial in this matter consistent with the public interest and the rights of the accused. We very much look forward to presenting our case to a jury of citizens in the Southern District of Florida.
Update 06/09/2023 4:11 p.m. ET: the article has been updated to include additional information.
Newsweek reached out by email to Trump's media office for comment.
