Despite Last-Minute Scramble, Former President to Be Represented by Existing Legal Team

Donald Trump will appear in court on Tuesday for his first federal court appearance in the Mar-a-Lago case without adding any new members to his legal defense team, despite efforts to recruit a local Florida lawyer. The former president is set to be represented by two existing attorneys, Todd Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, and Chris Kise, the former solicitor general of Florida.

Trump’s co-defendant, his valet Walt Nauta, will be represented by Stanley Woodward. This development follows a hectic and ultimately unsuccessful day of interviews where Trump and his legal team spoke with potential lawyers at his Trump Doral resort. However, none of these lawyers agreed to join the defense team in time for the arraignment.

Trump, who faces federal charges related to retaining national security materials and obstruction of justice, had hoped to recruit a Florida-based lawyer to join his defense team, particularly someone experienced in national security matters. However, the search for a lawyer with the necessary security clearance to handle the Espionage Act charges, which are part of the case, was unsuccessful.

The scramble for legal representation is a familiar pattern for Trump, who has experienced difficulty in assembling and retaining a stable legal team throughout his presidency and post-presidency as he faces multiple federal and state criminal cases.

For the current arraignment, Trump has opted to have Kise appear as local counsel for the Southern District of Florida. Blanche, who is not licensed to practice in Florida, has been sponsored by Trump to appear pro hac vice, a legal procedure that allows an out-of-state attorney to represent a client in a specific case.

The court appearance is a significant moment for Trump as he faces serious charges, and the challenges in securing new legal representation add to the complexities of his ongoing legal battles.