Here are some of the Trump indictment’s most shocking revelations
Federal prosecutors unsealed a 49-page indictment against Donald Trump and his personal valet Walt Nauta, named a co-conspirator in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, on Friday.
The twice-impeached, now twice-indicted former president was charged with 37 counts, including violations of the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice. Special counsel Jack Smith found evidence that Trump knowingly took classified materials after leaving the White House and haphazardly stored them or shared them with pals and political associates.
Here are some of the stunning revelations:
• Documents included details of the defense and weapons capabilities of US and foreign governments, US nuclear programs, and potential vulnerabilities to military attack for the US and its allies.
• Trump stored his boxes containing classified documents in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room.
• Some of those boxes were stored from January to March 2021 on a stage in the club's White and Gold Ballroom, which hosted events and gatherings during that period and were photographed, possibly by a guest.
• Mar-a-Lago hosted more than 50 events, including weddings, film premiers and fundraisers, that drew tens of thousands of guests during the period the documents were stored in Trump's offices or other areas near public spaces.
• In December, Nauta found several boxes containing highly classified materials had spilled from their boxes and took two photos, which he sent to another employee, who responded: "Oh no oh no."
• Nauta falsely told investigators he didn't know the boxes had been brought to Mar-a-Lago for review after the National Archives asked for their return or where they had been stored: “I wish I could tell you. I don’t know. I don’t — I honestly just don’t know.”
• The special counsel alleges that Trump endangered national security by sharing classified plans for a potential military strike on Iran, which was recorded and reveals that he knew he was not authorized to posses or discuss those materials: "Secret. This is secret information," he said. "Look, look at this."
• In August or September 2021, Trump hosted a representative for his political action committee and mentioned that an ongoing military operation overseas was not going well, and he showed that person a classified map of the country but warned them not to get too close.
• Trump met May 23, 2022, with his attorneys after the Department of Justice ordered him to return the materials to the National Archives, and the former president said: "I don't want anybody looking through my boxes, I really don't ... What happens if we just don't respond at all or don't play ball with them?"
• The former president allegedly directed Nauta to move the documents to conceal them from his attorney, the FBI and the grand jury, and Trump allegedly suggested that his attorney hide or destroy some of the documents sought by the National Archives and caused a false certification to be sent claiming all those items had been returned.
• He urged one of his attorneys to stash a classified folder in his hotel safe and hinted he should remove damaging information by making a plucking motion: "He made a funny motion as though -- well okay why don't you take them with you to your hotel room and if there's anything really bad in there, like, you know, pluck it out."
