Donald Trump to Make First Public Appearance Since Historic Indictment at Georgia GOP Convention

Former President Donald Trump is set to make his first public appearance since his historic federal indictment on Saturday, when he will address the Georgia GOP Convention in Columbus.

Trump is facing 31 counts of willful retention of classified documents, as well as one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, stemming from an investigation into his handling of sensitive government documents after he left the White House.

The former president has maintained his innocence and is set to plead not guilty at his scheduled arraignment on Tuesday in Miami. In his address to the convention, Trump is expected to deliver a grievance-laced takedown of what he has called a biased federal law enforcement apparatus.

The speech will be Trump’s first public appearance since his indictment, and will be attended by more than 2,000 people in a packed convention center. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the charges against him are “ridiculous and baseless” and will “go down as among the most horrific abuses of power in the history of our country.”

Trump’s legal defense is set to begin in earnest on Tuesday, when he will appear in court to enter his plea. It is unclear what other legal strategies the former president may pursue, but his speech on Saturday is expected to provide some insight into his plans.