Following his historic arraignment in Miami’s federal courthouse on Tuesday, Donald Trump visited the renowned Cuban eatery Versaille. A video of faith leaders praying with Trump is currently making the rounds on the internet.
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The former president made the unscheduled appearance at the Little Havana restaurant where fans met him after appearing before a federal judge for the first time about his suspected handling of secret papers after leaving the White House.
Trump got out of his car to shake hands with people holding “Trump 2024” banners, meet fans, and pose for pictures.
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NBC station WTVJ reports that the political figure, who turns 77 on Wednesday, was welcomed by a mob who sang “Happy Birthday” to him. According to ABC affiliate WPLG, the group also included two Cuban-American Christian and Jewish religious leaders who prayed over him, as well as others like former MMA fighter Jorge Masvidal and Florida State Senator Ileana Garcia.
The 2024 presidential contender told reporters before leaving: “I think it’s a rigged deal here. We have a rigged country. We have a country that’s corrupt. We have a country that’s got no borders. We have a country that’s got nothing but problems. We’re a nation in decline, and then they do this stuff, and you see where the people are,” according to WLPG.
After entering a not guilty plea to each of the 37 charges against him, the former television personality made the unexpected appearance. A federal grand jury last week indicted Trump.
The former president is accused of breaking the Espionage Act on 31 counts, as well as one count each of conspiracy to obstruct justice, preventing a document or record, corruptly obscuring a document or record, concealing a document during an investigation by the federal government, plan to conceal, and making false statements and representations.
The obstruction charges carry a maximum 20-year penalty per count, but each of the charges is subject to potential jail penalties. A maximum sentence of 10 years may be imposed for violating the Espionage Act, and sentences of up to five years may be imposed for each violation of conspiracy and making false statements.
The federal indictment is the result of an FBI search of the former president’s Mar-a-Lago residence on August 8 as part of an ongoing criminal investigation. This search was initiated after the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) reported in February 2022 that officials had taken 15 boxes of records from the property that were supposed to be turned over at the end of his presidency.
His subsequent court hearing in the federal classified materials case has not yet been scheduled.
