Lawyers are expected to enter not guilty pleas on behalf of former President Trump in federal court in Washington, D.C., on Thursday to the charges outlined in Special Counsel Jack Smith's new indictment, following the Supreme Court's ruling that a president cannot be prosecuted for official acts while in office.
Trump will not appear in court on Thursday, but his defense is expected to argue not guilty during a hearing before U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan.
According to court documents obtained by Fox News, Trump signed a not guilty plea. In documents filed Tuesday, Trump also waived his right to be present at his arraignment.
Trump plans to plead not guilty to amended federal election interference charge against Jack Smith
Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump speaks at a campaign event in Asheboro, North Carolina. (Kate Medley for The Washington Post via Getty Images)
“I authorize my attorney to plead not guilty on my behalf to all charges contained in Indictment 226,” the document states. “I further state that I have received a copy of the indictment and have reviewed it with my attorney.”
Trump faces second indictment in election interference case brought by special counsel Jack Smith
The case concerns Trump's alleged attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Last week, Smith filed an amended criminal complaint alleging that Trump pressured former Vice President Pence to reject legitimate electoral votes and to add false electoral votes in key states won by President Biden in order to certify Trump's election victory.
Former President Trump and Special Counsel Jack Smith (Getty Images)
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The new indictment retains the earlier criminal charges but narrows and reframes the charges against the Republican presidential nominee following a Supreme Court ruling that granted broad immunity to the former president.
Specifically, the indictment was amended to remove allegations about Justice Department officials and other government officials, clarify Trump's role as a candidate, and uncover allegations about his conversations with then-Vice President Pence in his ceremonial role as president of the Senate.
Special Counsel Jack Smith speaks at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, on August 1, 2023, regarding the recently unsealed indictment containing four felony counts against former President Trump. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The new indictment drops parts of a previous indictment that accused Trump of using the Justice Department to try to undo his loss in the 2020 election. supreme court Recently, a 6-3 ruling ruled that President Trump is immune from prosecution for official White House acts.
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Trump has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct governmental proceedings, obstruction and attempted obstruction of governmental proceedings, and conspiracy against the interests of the United States. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the indictment is pending.
Smith claims that Trump created false electoral rolls in key states won by Biden in an attempt to prove that he actually won, and that he pressured Pence to reject the legitimate electoral votes.
The special counsel's office said the latest indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, was issued by a grand jury that had never previously heard evidence in the case. The new grand jury has only just heard this new information.
A source familiar with the matter told Fox News that talks over an indictment are unlikely to expedite things and that a trial is unlikely to take place before the November election.
Fox News' David Spunt and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
