Ballroom, bathroom, storage room: Donald Trump has kept boxes of archives in many places of his luxurious residence, thus endangering the national security of the United States.
• Read more: Secret documents come back to haunt Trump
• Read more: Trump says one of his former aides will also be charged
• Read more: Trump Sued by Federal Justice: Why, How and Then?
Donald Trump
That’s what emerges from the 44-page indictment against the former president made public today.
His Mar-a-Lago, Fla. Photos show dozens of boxes in various locations in the home: the ballroom, her bedroom, office space, storage room and even the bathroom and shower.
File photo, REUTERS
A US judge found dozens of boxes of classified documents in a bathroom, ballroom and a large storage room throughout Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Florida home.
The former Republican president, who dreams of returning to the White House in 2024, could store some “top secret” documents there.
File photo, REUTERS
Some would reveal sensitive information about US military capabilities, its nuclear program and the vulnerability of its allies to attack, the document said.
A former White House tenant has been targeted by 37 counts. He was charged with “unlawful concealment of information related to national security”, “obstruction of justice” and “perjury”.
One law for all
Attorney Jack Smith investigates
In the United States, “the laws are the same for everybody,” Jack Smith, the special prosecutor in charge of the investigation, said on television when the document was made public.
He insisted that “protectors of information related to national security are necessary” and that “breach of them puts our country at risk,” asking for a “swift investigation” of the Republican billionaire.
In the United States, a law requires presidents to turn over their emails, letters and other working documents to the National Archives, but keeping state secrets in unauthorized places is prohibited.
However, in January 2021, Donald Trump left the White House, taking dozens of boxes filled with letters, newspaper clippings and other documents to his home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.
A social club
The “social club”, the residence was an “unauthorized” place to store classified documents, the indictment said.
Between January 2021 and August 2022, Billionaire will have tens of thousands of members and guests there.
On two occasions in 2021, Trump showed others documents including an “attack plan” prepared by a senior military officer, describing the document as “top secret” and “confidential.”
In addition to Donald Trump, his former personal assistant, Walt Nauta, is accused of moving the boxes to hide them from the FBI at his boss’s request.
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A first
This is the first time in US history that a former president has faced federal charges.
However, this is the second time a former White House resident has been charged with a crime.
In March, a grand jury in New York court formally indicted him in the 2016 case of buying the silence of porn star Stormy Daniels.
Donald Trump casts himself as victim of “political harassment.”
“This isn’t America anymore!” “He made the comment today on his Truth social network, assuring that he has “never had anything to hide.”
– with AFP
