Donald Trump's journey from US presidency to indictment in classified documents case: A summary of key events

Former United States President Donald Trump, who turns 77 today, is currently facing a tough legal battle in the classified documents case. From accusations that he paid off a porn star to allegations of mishandling of state secrets, Trump’s legal worries are only growing.

The former US President has now been charged by federal prosecutors over his potential mishandling of classified documents after he left office and refusing to return all of them even after being summoned.

Trump pleaded not guilty to the 37-count indictment on Tuesday at a federal courthouse in Miami.  

The indictment was historic as Trump has now become the first former US President to be criminally prosecuted by the government he once headed.

However, the predicament of America's most famous and colourful billionaire is far from over as he is the leading 2024 Republican presidential candidate.

Let us take a look at all the key events of Trump’s political career and his current legal challenges.

Classified documents case

Donald Trump has been indicted by the Department of Justice for endangering national security by taking classified documents to his Florida estate and then resisting efforts by officers to return them to the National Archives and Records Administration.  Trump has maintained that he is innocent in the case. He has further contended that he is being politically persecuted by the Biden administration.

Victory in the 2016 General Election

Trump emerged victorious by defeating Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential Election. The real estate mogul’s populist Make America Great Again platform was built on promises to strengthen the American economy, build a wall on the border of Mexico and to fix the US immigration system.

US-China relations under Trump

Diplomatic relations between US and China nosedived during the Trump administration. Trump was accused of starting a trade war with the Asian giant after he imposed stiff tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from China in March 2018. Almost 18 months later, Trump announced 10 percent tariffs on $300 billion in Chinese imports. The relations between the two countries reached a nadir with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Trump’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic

Donald Trump was widely criticised for his handling of the pandemic. Trump underplayed the pandemic for months and balked at mask mandates. His large rallies with unmasked supporters was particularly damning for several Americans. Trump’s reluctance to follow the advice of public health professionals ultimately backfired as he himself tested positive for the Coronavirus in October 2020. Trump went on to lose the 2020 presidential election.