Will Donald Trump appear on Treasure Coast today? Here's what to know about Fort Pierce
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Former President Donald J. Trump is expected to be in Fort Pierce, Florida, today for a scheduled hearing on his federal classified documents case.
Fort Pierce in St. Lucie County, is several miles north of his famous Mar-a-Lago estate on the island of Palm Beach.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ordered sealed hearings, not open to news organizations or to the public, for today and possibly Tuesday if they don’t finish. From 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, Cannon is scheduled to hear arguments from defense counsel for all defendants "to discuss their defense theories of the case, in detail, and how any classified information might be relevant," according to her order.
A federal grand jury indicted the 45th president on June 8, 2023. Trump's charges are related to the recovery of over 300 classified documents he was accused of taking with him upon leaving the White House in January 2021. Records seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach last year include those classified as confidential, secret and top secret, according to the indictment.
Why is Trump in Fort Pierce Florida?
Because of the alleged mishandling of Mar-a-Lago classified documents and the United States v. Donald Trump and Waltine “Walt” Nauta case, a lot of eyes are on Fort Pierce, Florida, where the trial is set to take place. It will be the first federal criminal trial of a former president.
Trump and his two codefendants, Nauta, his valet and bodyguard, and Carlos de Oliveira, property manager at Trump's private club in Palm Beach, are criminally charged with mishandling federal documents uncovered Aug. 8, 2022, at Mar-a-Lago.
The sealed hearing: Trump case, federal classified documents from Mar-a-Lago: What we know about sealed hearing
Where is Fort Pierce?
Fort Pierce is located in St. Lucie County along Florida's East Coast.
It's one of three counties that make up the Treasure Coast, with the others being Indian River County to the north and Martin County to the south.
Why is it called the Treasure Coast?
The region gets its name from the Spanish Treasure Fleet lost in the area during a 1715 hurricane. The Plate Fleet — from the Spanish word plata, or 'silver' — was made up of 11 ships. Ten of the ships were lost, with two disappearing beneath the open seas and eight others crashing into shallow waters off the Florida coast, according to History Today.
Treasure hunting companies continue to this day to try to locate, salvage and uncover the riches of the 1715 fleet.
How far is the Fort Pierce federal courthouse from Mar-a-Lago?
The Alto Lee Adams Sr. U.S. Courthouse in Fort Pierce is just over 50 miles north of Trump's private estate of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach County.
What major cities are near Fort Pierce?
As the crow flies, which is not how Florida roads are set up, Fort Pierce is located:
40 miles north of West Palm Beach
111 miles southeast of Orlando
140 miles south of Daytona Beach
142 miles southeast of Tampa
225 miles south of Jacksonville
325 miles southeast of Tallahassee
Is Trump expected to be in Fort Pierce?
Kenny Nail, chairman of the St. Lucie County Republican Executive Committee, said in an email Sunday, Trump planned to be at the courthouse today. He said one of Trump's attorneys told him Saturday of the former president's schedule.
"This is a momentous occasion for our community," Nail said in the email, encouraging residents to "come together and show support" for Trump on Monday.
Alto Lee Adams Sr. Courthouse in Fort Pierce
The federal courthouse in Fort Pierce was named after Judge Alto Lee Adams, who was born in 1899 in Florida and served as a member of the U.S. Navy in World War I.
After practicing law in Fort Pierce for 14 years, he was appointed to the Florida State Circuit Court in 1938, followed by two stints on the Florida Supreme Court, according to the Congressional Record.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Where is Fort Pierce, Florida? What cities are near. Trump hearing
