9 min ago
Trump indictment tracks movement of boxes around Mar-a-Lago
From CNN's Hannah Rabinowitz
The federal indictment unsealed Friday tracks how boxes were moved throughout Mar-a-Lago after former President Donald Trump moved to his Florida club after he left the White House.
Boxes were initially stored in a ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, prosecutors alleged, before Trump aide Walt Nauta moved some of the boxes to a business center at the estate in March 2021.
According to the indictment, two people who worked for Trump discussed over text message whether they were able to move boxes holding classified documents.
“Woah!! Okay so potus specifically asked Walt for those boxes to be in the business center because they are his ‘papers’” one of the employees texted, according to the indictment.
Boxes were then allegedly moved to a bathroom.
In May, Trump allegedly directed that a storage room, which was accessible from several outside entrances — some of which were often kept open — be cleaned out for his boxes. The next month, more than 80 boxes were moved into the storage room.
9 min ago
Trump suggested his lawyer "hide or destroy documents" sought by subpoena, indictment says
From CNN's Kara Scannell
Prosecutors allege former President Donald Trump took several steps to
obstruct the investigation into his handling of classified documents, according to the federal indictment unsealed Friday.
Trump told his attorney to tell the Justice Department that he didn’t have the documents sought by the subpoena, prosecutors say in the indictment.
In addition, it alleges, Trump directed his aide Walt Nauta to move documents to hide them from Trump’s own attorneys and FBI agents, and even suggested to his lawyer to “hide or destroy documents” sought by the subpoena.
The charge: Trump and Nauta both face a count of conspiracy to obstruct justice, according to the federal 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 read.
10 min ago
A ballroom, a shower, a bedroom: Indictment details where Trump allegedly stored documents at Mar-a-Lago
From CNN's Devan Cole
Former President Donald Trump allegedly stored classified documents in various places at his Mar-a-Lago estate, including “in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room," according to the newly unsealed indictment.
The document notes that as of January 2021, the Florida estate, which doubles as a private club, “had hundreds of members and was staffed by more than 150 full-time, part-time and temporary employees.”
“From January through March 15, 2021, some of Trump’s boxes were stored in the Mar-a-Lago Club’s White and Gold Ballroom, in which events and gatherings took place. Trump’s boxes were for a time stacked on the ballroom’s stage,” the indictment says, providing a photo of boxes on the stage.
The indictment goes on to say some of those boxes were moved by Trump and an aide, Walt Nauta, to the club’s business center.
15 min ago
Classified documents shared among key US allies spilled onto floor of Mar-a-Lago storage room
From CNN's Jeremy Herb
Trump aide Walt Nauta found classified documents in December 2021 that had spilled out of the boxes onto the floor of the storage room at Mar-a-Lago.
The documents included intelligence that was releasable only to “Five Eyes” countries – an intelligence-sharing alliance between the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, according to the indictment.
Nauta texted another Trump employee, “I opened the door and found this,” including two photographs of the spilled documents. At least one of the photographs, shown in the indictment, had classified information in it.
17 min ago
Trump faces a total of 37 counts in federal indictment
From CNN's Tierney Sneed and Holmes Lybrand
In the federal indictment unsealed on Friday, former President Donald Trump faces a total of 37 counts, including 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information.
In addition to the willful retention of national defense information charges, the former president is charged with one count each of conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record, concealing a document in a federal investigation, scheme to conceal and false statements and representations.
Trump associate Walt Nauta is also charged in the indictment.
19 min ago
Classified documents contained information on US defense and nuclear capabilities, indictment says
From CNN's Zachary Cohen and Hannah Rabinowitz
Classified documents that former President Donald Trump stored in boxes at Mar-a-Lago included information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the US and foreign countries, including US nuclear programs,
according to the indictment.
It also states that the documents contained information about potential vulnerabilities of the US and its allies to a military attack – as well as plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack.
“The classified documents 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,” the indictment says.
According to the indictment, Trump kept documents from several intelligence branches of the US government, including the CIA, the Department of Defense, the National Security Agency, the Department of Energy and the State Department.
