Donald Trump is facing 37 charges, including "withholding national security information" and "obstructing justice" in the White House Archives case, according to the indictment. accusation made public Friday, June 9.
"The classified documents that [Donald] Trump kept in boxes included information on the defense capabilities of the United States and foreign countries" and "about the nuclear programs" of the United States, according to this document. Their potential "dissemination would have endangered the national security of the United States," prosecutors add.
A former personal assistant prosecuted
Donald Trump said Friday that a former personal assistant and possible leading witness in the case will also be charged by federal justice in this case. The former US president did not detail the charges against Walt Nauta, a military officer attached to the presidency during Mr Trump's tenure before he left the administration to continue working alongside him after his 2020 defeat.
“I just learned that the “thugs” of the Department of Justice will indict Walt Nauta, a wonderful man, reacted Donald Trump on his Truth Social network. They are trying to destroy his life, like the lives of so many others, hoping he will say harmful things about “Trump”. According to ABC News, Walt Nauta was indicted by the same grand jury — a citizens' panel with broad investigative powers that works in concert with prosecutors — that prosecuted Donald Trump. The charges against Mr. Nauta are not known.
"Essential Witness"
According to the Washington Post, Walt Nauta is a "key witness" in the federal investigation led by Special Prosecutor Jack Smith that led to the indictment of the former president. According to the daily, Mr. Nauta was in charge, in the residence of Mar-a-Lago in Florida, where Mr. Trump lives since he left the White House, to "move" the boxes of documents which contain the notes of the former president.
US President Joe Biden said on Friday that he would not be in contact with Justice Minister Merrick Garland about these historic charges against his predecessor. Supporters of the former Republican president accuse Mr. Biden of instrumentalizing justice ahead of the 2024 presidential election, which could see the two men face off against each other again.
