A US federal court in Florida has made public an indictment against former President Donald Trump for retaining classified documents after he left office.

The court document unsealed on Friday details 37 criminal counts against Trump. They include "Willful retention of national defense information," referring to his unauthorized retention of classified documents.

The court says the documents include information about military or nuclear capabilities of foreign countries and the United States.

The former president also faces the charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice for moving the classified documents to hide them from investigators.

The FBI seized them from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last August.

Trump has become the first former or current US president to face federal charges.

The special counsel in the case, Jack Smith, said violation of laws that protect national defense information puts the US at risk.

Trump has criticized the administration of President Joe Biden for being corrupt and claimed he is innocent.

He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday to plead guilty or not guilty.