Donald Trump, former president, claims that the classified documents investigation has informed his attorneys that he has been indicted. The indic
Donald Trump, former president, claims that the classified documents investigation has informed his attorneys that he has been indicted.
The indictment has not yet been confirmed by the US Justice Department.
New Jersey’s Bedminster is where Trump is right now, according to The Associated Press. Just before Trump declared on his Truth Social platform that he had been indicted, prosecutors contacted his attorneys.
Seven counts are included in the indictment, according to two persons who have been briefed on the allegations, The New York Times reported.
The Times claimed that according to persons acquainted with the indictment, the allegations include conspiracy to obstruct, willful retention, and false statements.
Trump stated on his Truth Social platform that his arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday at 3 p.m. EST, according to The Times.
The newspaper quoted the White House as saying that they were not informed in advance of the indictments.
The Times reported that this indictment marks the first time in American history that a former president has been accused of a federal crime. The Federal District Court in Miami received the indictment.
The AP reported that Trump stated he will appear in court in Miami on Tuesday.
Several media sites, including CNN, reported this week that the former president’s legal team has been alerted by the Department of Justice that he is the subject of a criminal investigation into the alleged improper handling of sensitive documents.
Prosecutors stated in records filed last year that they were investigating if Trump violated any laws pertaining to the management of national security documents and whether he hindered government efforts to recover them, according to The New York Times.
At his private club and home, Mar-a-Largo, more than 300 documents with classified markings were discovered. Two months after the former president informed government officials that a search of the property turned up nothing, some were discovered there during an FBI search of the premises, according to the newspaper.
After Trump declared that he had returned all secret information, a search was conducted. Later, the National Archives found 15 boxes of records from Trump’s tenure as president.
About 100 additional documents with classified markings were discovered during the FBI search. According to recent allegations, after his office was served with a subpoena for the records in May 2022, staff members allegedly transported boxes out of a storage space. The next month, they were relocated back into the storage space.
At least two objects with classified markings were discovered during a second examination of Trump’s other properties. These were discovered in a West Palm Beach storage facility.
The letter made it clear that special counsel Jack Smith was focusing solely on Trump, rather than the people who were supporting him.
The Justice Department permits prosecutors to notify individuals when they have changed from being the subject of an investigation to becoming its target, but they are not required to do so. Although it frequently portends an impending indictment, it does not always do so. The person may occasionally not be charged.
When someone is informed that they are a target, they have the option to provide evidence or choose to testify in front of a grand jury.
According to the Times, Trump’s attorneys met with Smith on Monday in an effort to stop the filing of charges. Two days later, many witnesses, including former Trump spokeswoman Taylor Budowich, testified before a grand jury in Miami.
The Associated Press noted that the use of a Miami grand jury suggested that it might be the appropriate location for prospective charges, should they be brought. CNN stated on television that charges are brought when a crime is allegedly committed, making reference to the fact that the records are kept in South Florida as opposed to Washington, D.C. This week, The Washington Post claimed that a “significant portion” of charges would be brought in federal court in South Florida; however, the publication also stated that there may be other charges, such as perjury or false statements, that would be filed in Washington.
Trump’s White House advisers, Mar-a-Lago personnel, and more than 20 members of his Secret Service detail testified before this week before the grand jury in Washington, according to the Times.
Trump said to The New York Times that he had done nothing wrong and that he had not been informed that he would face charges. He did not specify whether he had been informed that he was a target.
The Justice Department’s investigation on Trump is not the only one.
The former president is under investigation in Georgia for allegedly trying to rig the 2020 election, and he was indicted in New York in a hush-money case.
Trump declared his intention to run for president in 2024.
