Donald Trump LIVE: Former president slams federal indictment as 'political persecution' in NJ speech

Donald Trump's rapturous reception at a Cuban restaurant in Miami's Little Havana district so irritated one CNN anchor he scolded producers for airing the footage.

Jake Tapper asked the CNN directors, live on air, to stop showing the scenes.

'To the folks in the control room: I don't need to see any more of that,' said Tapper.

The veteran Washington reporter, who has been at CNN for a decade, said that Trump was trying to use his arrest as propaganda.

'He's trying to turn it into a spectacle, a campaign ad. That's enough of that. We've seen it already.'

Trump mocked Tapper for his response.

The former president suggested that other political figures had gotten away with much worse. 

'He lost the nuclear codes,' Trump claimed of Bill Clinton, who he called a 'nice guy.'

'They should have used him a little bit more as an adviser in the 2016 election,' Trump also joked, alluding to how he beat Clinton's wife Hillary in the presidential election that year.

Trump also charged that George W. Bush's White House 'lost 22 million emails.'

'A document shredding truck was spotted on the way to Dick Cheney's house. Can you imagine?' the former president added. 

He spoke at length about the Bill Clinton 'socks' case, which fact-checkers have already said isn't a valid comparison to what Trump is accused of doing.  

Once again, Trump spoke at length about Special Counsel Jack Smith, who in addition to heading the classified documents probe is running a probe based out of Washington on Trump's election overturn efforts and January 6.

He termed him a 'raging lunatic' and said 'he looks like a thug.'

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, Eric Trump and Kimberly Guilfoyle look on as former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Trump National Golf Club. 

During the speech, Trump said: 'Don’t forget, this persecution is being done by the same weaponized agencies that for seven years have been running illegal psychological warfare campaigns against the American people… We caught them spying on my campaign, Twitter Files and so much more.'

Trump ended his speech in New Jersey: 'On November 5th, 2024, justice will be done. 

'We will take back our country and we will make America great again. 

'Thank you, god bless you all. Thank you.' 

Trump said: 'When you arrest your leading political opponent we no longer have a democracy.

'When people are allowed to pour through our open borders and our elections are rigged and our country is in very serious trouble.' 

The crowds who came out to hear Trump speak in New Jersey cheered as he slammed the indictment lodged against him. 

He compared his documents to Joe Biden allegedly having classified documents when he was Vice President. 

He told his fans: 'We can take it. But what these thugs have done to my family is a disgrace.; 

Former President Donald Trump speaks to supporters at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster in New Jersey.

He called the case against him 'political persecution' and said that he had 'every right to these documents.'

Donald Trump started his speech in New Jersey by calling the 37 charges against him the 'most heinous' and 'evil' corrupt of crimes. 

He slammed them as 'fake and fabricated charges.'

Trump has arrived on stage in Bedminster, New Jersey.

We will update you live. 

Former President Donald Trump visits Versailles Restaurant Cuban Cuisine after his arraignment at Wilkie D. Ferguson Jr. United States Federal Courthouse. Miami, Florida.

Earlier, Trump was arrested and fingerprinted, but was not handcuffed and no mugshot was taken. The booking procedure wrapped up shortly before 2:30pm. 

The 76-year-old pleaded not guilty to 37 counts after being booked and fingerprinted in the downtown Miami court complex.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is handling the case for the Department of Justice, was seated in the front row of U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman's courtroom, while the ex-president was seated with his lawyers. 

That put him just feet away from Trump, who has called him a 'deranged psycho.'  

The court case kicked off just before 3pm EST. Trump was released and no bond was set. After about 20 minutes of arguing by opposing lawyers, the court ruled that he can't talk to witnesses about the case.

However, he can keep his passport and remains free to travel.

The former president is gearing up to speak to a crowd at his New Jersey golf course - hours after he pleaded not guilty in a Miami court.

He made history by becoming the first ex-president to be arrested and appear in court to be charged with federal crimes over his mishandling of classified documents.