Many of them acknowledged they had not fully read the 49-page federal indictment but stood by the indicted former president.

A defendant like no other, Trump was the first former president to appear before a federal judge on criminal charges.

Even for a defendant whose post-presidential life has been dominated by investigations, the documents probe has stood out for both the apparent volume of evidence amassed by prosecutors and the severity of the allegations.

The Justice Department’s first prosecution of a former president concerns conduct that prosecutors say jeopardized national security, with Espionage Act charges carrying the prospect of a significant prison sentence.

Speaking at the Georgia Republican Convention, Trump cast his indictment as an attempt to hurt his chances of returning to the White House.