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The former US president, Donald Trump, has pleaded not guilty to 37 charges of mishandling sensitive files at a federal court in Miami, Florida. The indictment marks the first time in US history that a former president faces criminal charges by a federal government he once oversaw.

And of course he's not just a former political heavyweight - he's also the favourite to be the republican candidate for president in next year's general election. His court appearance was his second in less than three months.

He was arraigned in April in New York on charges that he falsified business records for a 2016 hush-money payment to a porn star. But that is a state-level case and much less serious than the one he is now facing.

Speaking to supporters after he flew back to New Jersey he strongly criticised the charges laid against him. But was Mr Trump correct to say he had every right to do what he's now been indicted for?

The former Chief White House Ethics Advisor to George W Bush and law professor at the University of Minnesota - Richard Painter 鈥� told Newsday Donald Trump 鈥渋s in very serious legal jeopardy鈥�.

鈥淗e had every right to hold the classified documents until he was no longer President. But he was no longer President 鈥� he did not have the right to hold classified documents and he was not authorised to see them.鈥�

(Pic: Donald Trump is flanked by his lawyers in a federal courthouse in Miami, US; Credit: Reuters)

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