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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/09/donald-trump-indictment-unsealed-mar-a-lago
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| Indictment charging Trump with mishandling classified documents unsealed | Indictment charging Trump with mishandling classified documents unsealed |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Document marks justice department’s confirmation of criminal case against Trump arising from documents kept at Mar-a-Lago | Document marks justice department’s confirmation of criminal case against Trump arising from documents kept at Mar-a-Lago |
| An indictment charging Donald Trump with mishandling classified documents, including US and foreign nuclear secrets, was unsealed on Friday afternoon. | |
| The document marks the justice department’s first official confirmation of a criminal case against the former US president arising from the retention of hundreds of documents at his Florida home, Mar-a-Lago, and includes 37 charges covering highly sensitive defense information and other matters. | |
| The alleged crimes detailed were more numerous and more serious than the public had initially been led to believe when the former president announced on Thursday night that he had been indicted on what was then understood to be seven federal charges and had swiftly brought senior Republicans rallying to his cause. | |
| The indictment reads that Trump stored in his boxes “included information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack, and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack”, including classified maps. | |
| “The unauthorized disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods,” the indictment stated. | |
| The indictment reads that some of the documents include some of the most sensitive US military secrets. Materials came from the Pentagon, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency and other intelligence agencies, the court filing said. | |
| It also includes photographs of the boxes of materials Trump allegedly hoarded on a ballroom stage, in a club bathroom and in a storage room, where some were laying on the floor. | |
| Among the charges were how Trump described a Pentagon “plan of attack” and shared a classified map related to a military operation. | Among the charges were how Trump described a Pentagon “plan of attack” and shared a classified map related to a military operation. |
| Trump “showed and described a ‘plan of attack’ that Trump said was prepared for him by the Department of Defense and a senior military official” during a meeting at the Trump national golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the indictment read. | Trump “showed and described a ‘plan of attack’ that Trump said was prepared for him by the Department of Defense and a senior military official” during a meeting at the Trump national golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the indictment read. |
| It added: “Trump told the individuals that the plan was ‘highly confidential’ and ‘secret’.” | |
| The indictment alleges that Trump also “endeavored to obstruct the FBI and grand jury investigations and conceal his continued retention of classified documents”. | |
| The former president tried to obstruct justice via the government’s investigations including by “suggesting that his attorney falsely represent to the FBI and grand jury that [he] did not have documents called for by the grand jury subpoena” and even “suggesting that his attorney hide or destroy documents called for by the grand jury subpoena”. | |
| Trump attacked the special counsel, Jack Smith, who is leading the Mar-a-Lago documents case, and also the federal investigation into the former president’s role in fomenting insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. Trump wrote in a social media post of Smith that: “His wife is a Trump Hater, just as he is a Trump hater – a deranged ‘psycho’ that shouldn’t be involved in any case having to do with ‘justice’, other than to look at Biden as a criminal, which he is!” | |
| The indictment also charged that Trump directed his valet and aide, Walt Nauta, to move boxes of records to conceal them from his attorney and the FBI. | |
| Trump and Nauta both face a count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, according to the indictment. “The purpose of the conspiracy was for Trump to keep classified documents he has taken with him from the White House and to hide and conceal them from a federal grand jury,” the indictment said. | Trump and Nauta both face a count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, according to the indictment. “The purpose of the conspiracy was for Trump to keep classified documents he has taken with him from the White House and to hide and conceal them from a federal grand jury,” the indictment said. |
| Trump, who is a current 2024 presidential candidate, is expected to surrender himself to authorities in Miami on Tuesday at 3pm ET. On Fox News Digital on Thursday night, he said he would plead not guilty. | Trump, who is a current 2024 presidential candidate, is expected to surrender himself to authorities in Miami on Tuesday at 3pm ET. On Fox News Digital on Thursday night, he said he would plead not guilty. |
| After news of the indictment broke late on Thursday night, Trump’s rightwing allies rallied to his defense as America braces for the unprecedented spectacle of a former president forced to defend himself against federal criminal charges. | After news of the indictment broke late on Thursday night, Trump’s rightwing allies rallied to his defense as America braces for the unprecedented spectacle of a former president forced to defend himself against federal criminal charges. |
| The latest legal turmoil for Trump comes just two months after he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in a case over hush-money payments to the former adult movie star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. | |
| Despite his many legal issues Trump, however, remains a dominant force in the Republican party, easily holding off – so far – a wide field of challengers for the party’s nomination to go up against Joe Biden in a battle for the White House next year. Indeed, the now multiple indictments have actually seen much of the party – and some 2024 rivals – rally around his cause. | Despite his many legal issues Trump, however, remains a dominant force in the Republican party, easily holding off – so far – a wide field of challengers for the party’s nomination to go up against Joe Biden in a battle for the White House next year. Indeed, the now multiple indictments have actually seen much of the party – and some 2024 rivals – rally around his cause. |