As Donald Trump’s lawyers began preparing for a federal indictment, the ex-president was allegedly still hoping to get the documents and boxes seized from Mar-a-Lago back, according to a report. Mr Trump referred to the classified material as “my boxes” and “my documents” and asked his lawyers to retrieve the material, sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Rolling Stone. The Independent has reached out to Mr Trump for comment. Throughout special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Mr Trump’s alleged mishandling of the material and after his indictment, the ex-president has maintained his innocence and claimed ownership over the documents under the Presidential Records Act. “Under the Presidential Records Act — which is civil, not criminal — I had every right to have these documents,” Mr Trump said in a speech at his New Jersey golf club following his arraignment on federal charges. Last year, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized multiple boxes of documents, of which 21 were labelled “Top Secret” and some contained information related to nuclear weaponry of the United States Mr Trump was indicted on 37 counts related to willful retention of national defence information, conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record, concealing a document in a federal investigation, scheme to conceal and making false statements and representations. The FBI forcibly seized the classified material after discovering Mr Trump had allegedly not turned over documents from his time in office. “In addition to having every right under the Presidential Records Act, is that these boxes were containing all types of personal belongings — many, many things, shirts and shoes, everything,” Mr Trump added. Under the Presidential Records Act, Mr Trump was required to turn over all records to the National Archives or go through the proper steps to dispose of records that no longer held administrative, historical, informational or evidentiary value. To do so, Mr Trump would have had to seek the views of the Archivist of the United States. Over and over again on Truth Social and in speeches, Mr Trump has cited this law, incorrectly, to assert his ownership. Even in the indictment, which was unsealed earlier this month, one of Mr Trump’s attorneys testified to federal investigators that the former president did not want to hand over the classified material when the federal government requested it. The attorney alleged that Mr Trump told him “I don’t want anybody looking through my boxes” and allegedly suggested they “just don’t respond at all” to investigators requesting Mr Trump return the boxes. Mr Trump was arraigned on his indictment earlier this month in Miami, Florida. Read More Prosecutors are prepared to hit Trump and his allies with new charges, sources say Top Trump aide revealed as individual he allegedly showed classified map, report says Trump news - live: DoJ prepared for more charges as insider trading scheme uncovered at Trump Media SPAC New ad mocks Trump’s excuse that he was too ‘busy’ to hand back boxes of secret government intel Is Donald Trump going to prison? Trump fumes about ‘illegally leaked’ CNN tape of him boasting about classified documents

Former UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman accused Rishi Sunak of betraying the public and breaking his promise to

India, the world’s top rice exporter, is expected to maintain its curbs on overseas sales well into next

A federal judge has given a 20-year sentence to a gynecologist who sexually abused dozens of patients for over two decades at prestigious New York hospitals

By Brad Brooks The former morgue manager at Harvard Medical School was among five people indicted by a

Clayton Echard's request for an Injunction Against Harassment was granted by the judge, who agrees with him and notes that there is evidence to support the claim that any reasonable person would experience harassment

By Jack Queen (Reuters) -Donald Trump is likely to claim that his right to free speech and genuine concerns about

'You will hear full songs from the new album for the first time ever,' Dolly Parton wrote on Instagram addressing her fans

By Steve Keating NEW YORK (Reuters) -Novak Djokovic battled past Daniil Medvedev 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 and into the tennis history

Carlee Russell has confessed to cooking up the story that she was kidnapped on July 13

An Israeli strike on a refugee camp in Gaza overnight drew condemnation across the Middle East and comes

Nearly nine out of 10 parents believe their child is performing at grade level despite standardized tests showing far fewer students are on track