Former President Donald Trump landed in Miami, Florida on Monday to face federal criminal charges, despite the fact that a new Reuters/Ipsos poll suggested the matter had not harmed his reelection chances.
Trump is set to appear in federal court in Miami on Tuesday at 3 p.m. EDT (1900 GMT) for a first appearance.
Accused of illegally retaining US national-security secrets and lying to investigators attempting to collect them, Trump has maintained his innocence and pledged to continue his campaign for re-election to the presidency in November 2024.
Trump, who turns 77 on Wednesday, arrived in Miami at 2:54 p.m. (1854 GMT) aboard a private plane bearing his name.
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Supporters gathered outside his local golf club, where he was scheduled to spend the night.
“I HOPE THE ENTIRE COUNTRY IS WATCHING WHAT THE RADICAL LEFT ARE DOING TO AMERICA,” he posted before leaving New Jersey on his Truth Social social-media site.
Trump’s legal problems have had little impact on his popularity among Republican supporters.
According to a Reuters/Ipsos survey issued on Monday, 81% of Republicans believe the allegations are politically motivated. According to the survey, Trump continues to dominate his opponents for the Republican presidential nomination by a significant margin.
Trump was chosen as the favored candidate by 43% of self-identified Republicans, while Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was chosen by 22%. Trump led DeSantis 49% to 19% in early May, but that was before DeSantis actually entered the race.
Trump spoke to an enthusiastic audience in Georgia over the weekend, and his team indicated he will make a statement when he returns to New Jersey on Tuesday night.
Read full story: Reuters