We’re learning more today about the federal indictment brought against Donald Trump by a federal grand jury in Florida regarding his alleged mishandling of more than 100 classified documents.
The indictment, made public today, shows the Donald faces 37 counts on seven charges, including false statements, conspiracy to obstruct and willful retention of national defense information.
Each of the charges carries a maximum fine of $250,000 and prison time of five to 20 years.
Additionally, Trump’s personal aide Walt Nauta was also indicted on six counts, including conspiracy to obstruct and false statements. Nauta’s lawyer declined to comment.
Photos from the Trump indictment showing where some classified documents were kept, via our @NBCNews Justice team pic.twitter.com/UWJOTezj6v
— Monica Alba (@albamonica) June 9, 2023
The investigation began last year when the National Archives alerted the FBI that government documents Trump had returned after having been out of office for about a year included 184 that were marked classified. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
The indictment says Trump kept boxes of classified documents in various locations at Mar-a-Lago, “including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room.”
Indictment alleges Trump stored classified documents in a bathroom, shower and storage room at Mar-a-Lagohttps://t.co/7xbd19AibN pic.twitter.com/f0SvbGdLNB
— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) June 9, 2023
According to the indictment, the Secret Service agents tasked with guarding the former president did not know Trump was storing the documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Also – the indictment alleges that Trump suggested that one of his lawyers “hide or destroy documents called for by the grand jury subpoena.” that would be the subpoena that required Trump to turn over all documents with classification markings.
Trump is also accused of showing classified documents to other people on two different occasions.
Indictment shows the recording of Trump in which he made comments about secrecy of the docs came during an interview he was giving an author
"Secret. This is secret information. Look, look at this. You attack and —" pic.twitter.com/4dzJJ9gIio
— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) June 9, 2023
The evidence leading to the indictment includes an audio recording from 2021 in which he talks about an apparently secret document and says, “As president, I could have declassified it, but now I can’t,” a person familiar with a transcript of the conversation.
Many Republicans are jumping to Trump’s defense trying to assert that President Biden is “weaponizing” the Department of Justice to get rid of his possible political opponent in the 2024 presidential election. Except – Biden didn’t indict Trump – a grand jury in Florida did.
NBC News is updating the story as more information becomes available.
The indictments includes a series of statements Trump made on classified document retention during the 2016 presidential campaign
8/2016: "In my administration I'm going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information. No one will be above the law." pic.twitter.com/MbURmzd3YO
— Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) June 9, 2023