Trump says he’s indicted in Mar-a-Lago classified documents case
Former President Donald Trump has claimed that he has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he mishandled classified material by keeping sensitive documents from his time in the White House at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. However, the Department of Justice has yet to confirm this. It is alleged that more than a hundred classified documents were discovered in boxes returned to the National Archives and Records Administration from the 45th president’s Palm Beach, Fla., residence and private club. This comes as Trump faces his second indictment after leaving office, and his first on federal charges.
In a Truth Social post, Trump criticised President Joe Biden’s handling of classified material and claimed his indictment is due to what he described as a corrupted administration. Trump is set to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, and his arraignment may take place then. This news comes after former war crimes prosecutor Jack Smith was appointed as special counsel overseeing the classified document probe, as well as the government’s investigation into Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol Building.
It is believed that Smith’s team called in dozens of Mar-a-Lago staffers and several Trump aides and members of his legal team to testify before a federal grand jury in Washington. They have examined evidence that includes surveillance footage of boxes being moved the day before a federal prosecutor visited Mar-a-Lago, and an audio recording of Trump admitting to having held on to a classified document about a potential military strike against Iran. Trump has argued that he declassified everything he took from the White House, claiming a president has the authority to declassify material “even by thinking about it.” He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in either case.
FAQs:
What is Trump being indicted for?
Former President Donald Trump has claimed that he has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he mishandled classified material by keeping sensitive documents from his time in the White House at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.
Has this been confirmed by the Department of Justice?
No, the Department of Justice has yet to confirm the alleged indictment.
What is the investigation about?
The investigation was triggered in February of last year, after more than 100 classified documents were discovered in 15 boxes returned to the National Archives and Records Administration from the 45th president’s Palm Beach, Fla., residence and private club.
What other charges has Trump faced since leaving office?
This comes as Trump faces his second indictment after leaving office, and his first on federal charges. In April, the 76-year-old pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg related to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.
Has Trump been cooperating with the investigation?
Trump has argued that he declassified everything he took from the White House, claiming a president has the authority to declassify material “even by thinking about it.” He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing in either case. However, he has been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday.
Trump Claimed that he was Indicted in the Classified Documents Case Related to Mar-a-Lago
Former President Donald Trump claims to have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of mishandling classified material by keeping hundreds of sensitive documents from his time in the White House at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. While the Department of Justice has yet to confirm the indictment, it appears that his arraignment may be as soon as next week.
In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump criticized President Joe Biden’s administration for informing his attorneys of the charges, referring to it as “corruption.” He also mentioned that he has been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami next week, where he plans to plead innocent.
This is not Trump’s first legal trouble after leaving office. In April, he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of hush money payments related to Stormy Daniels, a porn star, prior to the 2016 election.
The Justice Department began investigating Trump in February last year, after more than 100 classified documents were discovered in 15 boxes returned to the National Archives and Records Administration from Mar-a-Lago. In November 2021, Attorney General Merrick Garland named former war crimes prosecutor Jack Smith as a special counsel overseeing the classified document probe and the government’s investigation into Trump’s involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol Building.
Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and claims he declassified everything he took from the White House, citing a president’s authority to declassify material “even by thinking about it.”
Trump has also alleged that the Department of Justice and the FBI have weaponized against him, referring to previous scandals and investigations he claims were attempts to undermine his presidency.