In a new development, former United States president Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to additional charges filed against him last week in a federal case. The charges accuse Trump of obstructing an investigation into his handling of government files by ordering employees to delete security camera footage at his Florida estate. The court filing showed that Trump entered his plea on Friday and also waived his right to be present in court for his arraignment on the three additional charges, scheduled for August 10.

This marks the third criminal indictment that Trump has faced this year. On Thursday, he was arrested and arraigned on four felony counts related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy against rights.

As Trump made his first court appearance, he expressed his belief that he is being persecuted as a political opponent. Speaking from an airport tarmac in Virginia, he said, "This was never supposed to happen in America." The arraignment hearing took place at the Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse in Washington, DC, and the judge set the next hearing in the case for August 28.

The indictment came just two days after US prosecutors filed charges against Trump, accusing him of seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election that he lost to his Democratic rival, Joe Biden. This latest indictment is seen as the most significant of the three criminal cases against Trump. Experts have referred to it as "probably the most significant legal case in the nation's history."

Trump, who is currently the frontrunner in the race for the Republican Party's 2024 presidential nomination, has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has framed the indictments as attempts to derail his political career. However, the current charges could pose a major obstacle for his campaign. With the plea of not guilty and the upcoming court proceedings, the legal battles surrounding the former president continue to unfold.