Donald Trump is scheduled to address the Georgia GOP convention in Columbus on Saturday, his first political rally after he was indicted on federal charges of mishandling classified documents at his Florida estate.
State GOP officials say Trump is still expected to speak to Georgia Republican delegates on Saturday afternoon in what would be his first political event in the state since announcing his comeback bid. However, they stressed his schedule could change abruptly.
Multiple outlets reported that the Justice Department lodged the federal criminal charges against Trump on Thursday, which follows a probe into his handling of classified documents after he left office in 2021. It’s the first time in U.S. history a former president has faced federal charges.
Trump still faces other criminal investigations. He was indicted in New York and Fulton County prosecutors are considering whether to charge Trump with breaking state laws during his attempt to overturn his 2020 defeat in Georgia.
The former president posted on social media that he was due in court on Tuesday and called the investigation a “witch hunt,” a favorite phrase he’s used to malign the various federal and state inquiries into his conduct.
The former president’s expected visit to Columbus has divided Georgia Republicans at a time when Gov. Brian Kemp and other state leaders have pushed the GOP to move on from his polarizing presidency. And it comes as state Republicans clash over the future of the party.
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