By Sarah N. Lynch
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former U.S. Attorney General William Barr on Sunday defended Special Counsel Jack Smith's 37-count indictment against Donald Trump on Sunday, saying if the allegations the former president willfully retained hundreds of highly classified documents are proven true, then "he's toast."
"I was shocked by the degree of sensitivity of these documents and how many there were, ... and I think the counts under the Espionage Act that he willfully retained those documents are solid counts," Barr, who served under Trump, told "Fox News Sunday."
"If even half of it is true, then he's toast."
The comments from Barr, who was Trump's attorney general from February of 2019 through December of 2020, are notable and were made at a time when many other prominent Republicans have been hesitant to criticize the former president and current Republican front-runner in the 2024 White House race.
Trump responded to Barr's comments with criticism and insults. Describing Barr as a "lazy" and "weak" attorney general, Trump on his social media platform Truth Social said he only made the comments because he was disgruntled and that they were misinformation. "Turn off Fox News when that "Gutless Pig" is on," Trump said.
The former president is due to appear in a federal courthouse in Miami on Tuesday to make his initial appearance on the charges, which include the willful retention of highly sensitive national defense records under the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice, making false statements, conspiracy and concealment.
Trump told Politico on Saturday that he would continue his presidential campaign, even if he were convicted in the case, saying "I'll never leave."
He plans to make remarks at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday (0015 GMT on Wednesday) at his Bedminster, New York, golf club, his presidential campaign said.
Meanwhile, hundreds of pro-Trump supporters drove in a caravan from Miami to Palm Beach on Sunday to show their support for the former president, as has been done on several previous occasions since he left office.
Cars decked out with American flags and pro-Trump slogans on placards made the 80-mile (130-km) trip, honking most of the way and meeting at a Palm Beach grocery store parking lot for a rally.
Of the 37 counts against Trump, 31 of them relate to secret and top secret classified documents that he kept after leaving the White House in early 2021.
The indictment alleges that Trump stored the documents in a haphazard manner at his home in Palm Beach, Florida, refused to give them back to the government, and tried to hide them from the FBI and even his own attorney after a grand jury issued him a subpoena demanding that he turn over all records bearing classified markings.
His attorney Alina Habba, who is not representing him in the case, told "Fox News Sunday" that Trump is innocent of the charges and plans to vigorously defend himself in the case.