Katherine Firkin: US correspondent as Donald Trump arrives at Miami court on federal crimes charges - Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

“We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty,” Todd Blanche, Trump’s lawyer, told US Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman.

CNN reported Trump had his arms folded and periodically spoke to Blanche while in the courtroom

Trump’s motorcade arrived on Tuesday afternoon (EDT) at the federal courthouse shortly before he was scheduled to appear before a magistrate judge, a stunning moment in American history days after he became the first former president charged with federal crimes.

Members of law enforcement stand guard as supporters of former President Donald Trump rally outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthouse in Miami. Photo / Alex Brandon, AP

Trump, as well as an aide charged as a co-conspirator, have been booked in the Miami federal court. The pair were digitally fingerprinted and had their birthdates and Social Security numbers taken as part of the booking process at the federal courthouse in Miami.

The US Marshals Service said Trump and Walt Nauta were booked shortly after they arrived Tuesday afternoon.

It’s the second criminal case Trump is facing as he seeks to reclaim the White House next year. He’s also accused in New York state court of falsifying business records related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing, saying he’s being unfairly targeted by political opponents who want to hurt his campaign. After his court appearance. Trump will return to New Jersey, where he’s expected to hold a press event to publicly respond to the charges.

The motorcade carrying former US President Donald Trump arrives near the courthouse in Miami. Photo / AP

Nauta, a Navy veteran who fetched Trump’s Diet Cokes as his valet at the White House before joining him as a personal aide at Mar-a-Lago, is accused of moving boxes from the White House at Trump’s direction and then lying about it to investigators.

Trump rode to court with his son Eric, who accompanied the motorcade from the former president’s Doral resort to the federal courthouse in Miami.

CNN aired footage of Trump walking to a line of SUVs with his son by his side while someone yelled, “Let’s go Trump!”

The former president stopped and waved at supporters, as well as chatted with staff members. Eric Trump appeared to clap his father on the back just before he climbed in a vehicle.

As he rode to court, Trump posted on his social media site that the case against him was a “witch hunt”.

Via his Truth Social network, he posted: “ON MY WAY TO COURTHOUSE. WITCH HUNT!!! MAGA.”

Later, outside the courthouse, Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba said, “Today is not about President Donald J. Trump, who is defiant.

“It is not about the Republican Party, it is not about the 2024 election,” Habba added. “It is about the destruction of longstanding principles that have set this country apart.”

Alina Habba, lawyer for former President Donald Trump, gives a thumbs up to supporters after speaking outside the Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. U.S. Courthous in Miami. Photo / Alex Brandon, AP

Trump is the first former president to face a judge on federal charges as the city of Miami prepared for possible protests by crowds that officials said could number in the thousands.

Security was tight outside the federal courthouse ahead of Trump’s history-making