Donald Trump's legal defense took a surprising hit when two of his leading attorneys declared their departure in light of the ex-President's second indictment this year over alleged mishandling of classified documents.
Jim Trusty and John Rowley, Trump's counsel, announced on Friday, June 9, "We have submitted our resignations to President Trump this morning, and from this point forward, we shall no longer advocate for him in either the indicted case or the January 6 investigation."
Their joint statement emphasized their honor in representing Trump over the past year, projecting confidence in his vindication against what they call "the partisan weaponization of the American justice system by the Biden administration." They expressed that their decision to step down is logical given the Miami filing of the case and called for others to see the case to its end.
Trusty, appearing on the Today show, stood by Trump, stating, "He's a fighter and he's going to come out swinging. He'll be fine."
Acknowledging the legal team reshuffle, Trump spoke out via Truth Social, associating the change with the case's shift to a Florida court rather than Washington D.C.
Trump noted on June 9, "To combat the greatest witch hunt of all time, now shifting to the Florida courts, I will be represented by Todd Blanche, Esq., and a yet-to-be-named firm."
The ex-President extended gratitude to Trusty and Rowley for their services but was quick to blame their struggle on a group he described as "very dishonest, corrupt, evil, and 'sick'". He further added, "Additional lawyers will be announced in the forthcoming days. When will Joe Biden face indictment for his numerous crimes against our nation? MAGA!"
As reported by OK!, Trump claimed he learned of his indictment, which he attributes to the "corrupt Biden Administration", on June 8. He drew attention to a perceived discrepancy, labeling it the "Boxes Hoax", referencing the boxes purportedly in Joe Biden's possession across multiple locations, while being investigated for his own documents.
Biden's Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton later confirmed that the President discovered the indictment simultaneously with the public through news reports.
