LEADERSHIP
Former United States president, Donald Trump, has entered a not guilty plea to charges that he lied and schemed to hold on to sensitive national security material that he was supposed to have surrendered when he left the White House.
Trump, 76, was indicted last week on 37 federal felony counts, including willful retention of national defense information, making false statements and representations, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
In court, Trump who was clad in a blue suit and red tie sat silently with his hands crossed while the not guilty plea was being entered by his attorney during the brief proceeding before Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman.
“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Trump lawyer, Todd Blanche, told the judge.
According to BBC News, Special counsel Jack Smith, whose office brought the case, was in court for the proceeding, seated in the front row.
Goodman did not put any travel restrictions on Trump, who’s campaigning for president, or ask him to surrender his passport.
Prosecutors had not asked for either restriction, even as the judge did on his own bar Trump from discussing the case with any witnesses identified on a list to be compiled by government lawyers…
