Legal expert Jonathan Turley emphasized the seriousness of the recent federal indictment against former President Trump, distinguishing it from the prior Manhattan case. Speaking on Fox News' "America's Newsroom," Turley characterized the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecution as politically motivated, while describing the Miami indictment concerning classified documents as a "completely different situation." He stressed the gravity of the new charges, labeling them a "whole new ballgame."

Following the unsealing of the indictment, Turley, appearing on "America Reports," called the charges "incredibly damaging." He highlighted the detailed nature of the indictment, suggesting it was crafted to preemptively address potential accusations of bias or political motivation within the Department of Justice. Turley noted the sheer volume of details and the inclusion of witness testimonies given under oath, which carry the weight of potential criminal charges for false statements. He pointed to the inclusion of alleged quotes from the former president urging others to ignore or conceal documents, further emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.

The federal indictment stems from Special Counsel Jack Smith's extensive investigation. Trump has been summoned to appear in a Miami federal court. The former president himself announced the indictment via Truth Social, reportedly shortly after his legal team was informed by federal prosecutors.

In his announcement, Trump drew a comparison with President Biden's handling of documents, referencing boxes held at various locations. He characterized the charges against him as a "Boxes Hoax."

Appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022, Smith's investigation focused on Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. This investigation followed an FBI search of Trump's residence in August 2022. The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) had previously informed Congress that Trump had taken 15 boxes of presidential records to his Florida residence. NARA retrieved these boxes, which reportedly contained classified national security information and correspondence with foreign leaders, and subsequently referred the matter to the Justice Department.