Trump's Republican rivals criticize 'weaponization' of DOJ after indictment

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Donald Trump listens to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speak about the coronavirus response during a meeting in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 28, 2020. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

(Reuters) - Former President Donald Trump's rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination criticized the move to charge him over his handling of classified documents, underscoring their fear of upsetting the core Trump supporters needed to win the race.

The indictment of a former U.S. president on federal charges is unprecedented in American history, a case made more extraordinary by the fact that Trump is the front-runner in the Republican race to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden next year.