2 former president’s employees donald trump‘s Mar-a-Lago Resort moved a box of documents around its premises the day before FBI Investigators and federal prosecutors visited to retrieve classified documents, multiple media outlets reported on Thursday.
The Washington Post first reported A club maintenance employee in Florida told federal prosecutors that he witnessed Trump’s valet Walt Nauta move the box to storage on June 2, 2022, and then uncovered the contents of the box. He said that he offered to help without knowing it. A person familiar with the investigation told the Post that Trump’s lawyers contacted the Justice Department that same day and that Justice Department officials may come to Mar-a-Lago to retrieve classified files. Said.
Justice Department Chief Prosecutor Jay Bratt visited Mar-a-Lago on June 3 and searched a bunch of classified files and other such material, but no investigation was conducted. I was handed a signed letter certifying that I had not. found, Added New York Times. But two months later, on Aug. 8, due to concerns that classified documents remained at the Trump residence, the FBI executed a search warrant to search the premises, as well as other classified documents in the storage and President Trump’s Oval Office. More than 100 files were seized.
The revelations add new context to President Trump’s actions around classified files and could broaden the timeline of potential crimes and sabotage. The paper added that prosecutors were also gathering evidence that Trump’s team conducted a “dry run” to move files Trump wanted to keep.
The latest report comes at a pivotal time in the investigation.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith said: Testimony and Evidence Gathering Almost Complete After meeting with the former president’s aides, maids and maintenance staff at Trump’s Florida mansion, which is also a private club, the Post reported last month that federal agents had collected evidence. Trump may have sifted through the box Submission of documents after receiving a subpoena for return.
Trump’s lawyers also sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland this week. request a meeting He discussed the investigation, claiming it was an “ongoing fraud” centered around unsubstantiated allegations.
Prosecutors are reportedly focused on whether President Trump attempted to thwart the government’s efforts to retrieve the files.story lasted for months As the National Archives attempted to retrieve documents lost during the president’s presidency, the Department of Justice eventually sent officials to Florida with subpoenas to retrieve the files.Recovery has reached its peak Exaggerated FBI investigation August 8th.
Some in Trump’s circle are reportedly preparing indictments, which could pose serious legal risks for the former president.he lashed out at the ongoing investigation at one point CNN He held a city hall-style event earlier this month, but apparently insisted he was allowed whatever he wanted when he left the White House in January 2021.
“I got my paperwork. It’s allowed,” he said during the live event. He later added that “the sidewalk was lined with boxes” as he left Washington.
“Everyone knew we were going to take the box away,” Trump said.
Several other investigations are underway into his actions after losing the 2020 election, including his efforts to overturn the results of the presidential election in Georgia.