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Hello and welcome to a special episode of Prosecuting Donald Trump. I'm Ali Velshi. The Department of Justice has unsealed its 49-page federal indictment charging former President Donald Trump with 37 felony counts in his handling of classified information.
This is an historic and important document, and I want to read it to you so that you've got every detail about what exactly he and his aide, Walt Notta, are being charged with. You've heard the highlights about how Trump allegedly lied and schemed to keep documents he knew were classified.
But I'll read word for word the transcript of the conversation Trump allegedly had about a sensitive military document, texts between his employees, and the descriptions of the documents he allegedly hid in a shower, his bathroom, and a ballroom. Trump, of course, maintains his innocence, but I'll let you be the judge of that. So, here we go. United States of America versus Donald J. Trump and Walton Notta indictment.
The grand jury charges that at times material to this indictment on or about the dates and approximate times stated below. 1. Defendant Donald J. Trump was the 45th President of the United States of America. He held office from January 20, 2017 until January 20, 2021.
As president, Trump had lawful access to the most sensitive classified documents and national defense information gathered and owned by the United States government, including information from the agencies that comprise the United States intelligence community and the United States Department of Defense.
2. Over the course of his presidency, Trump gathered newspapers, press clippings, letters, notes, cards, photographs, official documents, and other materials in cardboard boxes that he kept in the White House. Among the materials Trump stored in his boxes were hundreds of classified documents. 3.
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 unauthorized disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of the United States military, and human sources and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods. 4.
At 12 p.m. on January 20, 2021, Trump ceased to be president. As he departed the White House, Trump caused scores of boxes, many of which contained classified documents, to be transported to the Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, where he maintained his residence. Trump was not authorized to possess or retain those classified documents. 5.
The Mar-a-Lago Club was an active social club, which between January 2021 and August 2022 hosted events for tens of thousands of members and guests. After Trump's presidency, the Mar-a-Lago Club was not an authorized location for the storage, possession, review, display, or discussion of classified documents.
Nevertheless, Trump stored his boxes containing classified documents in various locations at the Mar-a-Lago club, including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room. 6. On two occasions in 2021, Trump showed classified documents to others as follows. a.
In July 2021, at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, the Bedminster Club, during an audio-recorded meeting with a writer, a publisher, and two members of his staff, none of whom possessed a security clearance, Trump showed and described a plan of attack that Trump said was prepared for him by the Department of Defense and a senior military official.
Trump told the individuals that the plan was, quote, highly confidential, end quote, and secret. Trump also said, quote, as president, I could have declassified it and now I can't, you know, but this is still a secret, end quote. B, in August or September 2021 at the Bedminster Club, Trump said, quote,
Trump showed a representative of his political action committee who did not possess a security clearance a classified map related to a military operation and told the representative that he should not be showing it to the representative and that the representative should not get too close.
7. On March 30, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI, opened a criminal investigation into the unlawful retention of classified documents at the Mar-a-Lago Club. A federal grand jury investigation began the next month. The grand jury issued a subpoena requiring Trump to turn over all documents with classification markings.
Trump endeavored to obstruct the FBI and grand jury investigations and conceal his continued retention of classified documents by, among other things, A, suggesting that his attorney falsely represent to the FBI and grand jury that Trump did not have documents called for by the grand jury subpoena.
B. Directing defendant Walton Notta to move boxes of documents to conceal them from Trump's attorney, the FBI, and the grand jury. C. Suggesting that his attorney hide or destroy documents called for by the grand jury subpoena. D. Providing to the FBI and grand jury just some of the documents called for by the grand jury subpoena while claiming that he was cooperating fully and... E.
causing a certification to be submitted to the FBI and grand jury falsely representing that all documents called for by the grand jury subpoena had been produced, while knowing that, in fact, not all such documents had been produced. 8.
As a result of Trump's retention of classified documents after his presidency and refusal to return them, hundreds of classified documents were not recovered by the United States government until 2022 as follows.
A. On January 17th, nearly one year after Trump left office and after months of demands by the National Archives and Records Administration for Trump to provide all missing presidential records, Trump provided only 15 boxes, which contained 197 documents with classification markings.
B. On June 3rd, in response to a grand jury subpoena demanding the production of all documents with classified markings, Trump's attorney provided to the FBI 38 more documents with classification markings.
c. On August 8, pursuant to a court-authorized search warrant, the FBI recovered from Trump's office and a storage room at the Mar-a-Lago Club 102 more documents with classification markings. Trump's co-conspirator. 9. Defendant Notta was a member of the United States Navy stationed as a valet in the White House during Trump's presidency.
Beginning in August 2021, Notta became an executive assistant in the office of Donald J. Trump and served as Trump's personal aide or body man. Notta reported to Trump, worked closely with Trump, and traveled with Trump. The Mar-a-Lago Club
10. The Mar-a-Lago Club was located on South Ocean Boulevard in Palm Beach, Florida, and included Trump's residence, more than 25 guest rooms, two ballrooms, a spa, a gift store, exercise facilities, office space, and an outdoor pool and patio.
As of January 2021, the Mar-a-Lago Club had hundreds of members and was staffed by more than 150 full-time, part-time, and temporary employees. 11. Between January 2021 and August 2022, the Mar-a-Lago Club hosted more than 150 social events, including weddings, movie premieres, and fundraisers that together drew tens of thousands of guests. 12.
The United States Secret Service provided protection services to Trump and his family after he left office, including at the Mar-a-Lago Club, but it was not responsible for the protection of Trump's boxes or their contents. Trump did not inform the Secret Service that he was storing boxes containing classified documents at the Mar-a-Lago Club. Classified Information 13
National security information was information owned by, produced by, produced for, and under the control of the United States government.
Pursuant to Executive Order 12958, signed on April 17, 1995, as amended by Executive Order 13292 on March 25, 2003, and Executive Order 13526 on December 29, 2009, national security information was classified as top-secret, secret, or confidential as follows.
a. Information was classified as top secret if the unauthorized disclosure of that information reasonably could be expected to cause exceptionally grave damage to the national security that the original classification authority was able to identify or describe.
b information was classified as secret if the unauthorized disclosure of that information reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security that the original classification authority was able to identify or describe c
Information was classified as confidential if the unauthorized disclosure of that information reasonably could be expected to cause damage to the national security that the original classification authority was able to identify or describe. Fourteen. The classification marking no foreign stood for not releasable to foreign nationals and denoted that dissemination of that information was limited to United States persons. Fifteen.
Classified information related to intelligence sources, methods, and analytical processes was designated as Sensitive Compartmented Information, SCI.
SCI was to be processed, stored, used, or discussed in an Accreditive Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or a SCIF, and only individuals with the appropriate security clearance and additional SCI permissions were authorized to have access to such national security information.
16. When the vulnerability of or the threat to specific classified information was exceptional and the normal criteria for determining eligibility for access to classified information were insufficient to protect the information from unauthorized disclosure,
The United States could establish special access programs, SAPs, to further protect the classified information. The number of these programs was to be kept to an absolute minimum and limited to programs in which the number of persons who ordinarily would have access would be reasonably small and commensurate with the objective of providing enhanced protection for the information involved.
Only individuals with the appropriate security clearance and additional SAP permissions were authorized to have access to such national security information, which was subject to enhanced handling and storage requirements. 17.
Pursuant to Executive Order 13526, information classified at any level could be lawfully accessed only by persons determined by an appropriate United States government official to be eligible for access to classified information and who had signed an approved nondisclosure agreement, who received a security clearance, and who had a need to know the classified information.
After his presidency, Trump was not authorized to possess or retain classified documents. 18. Executive Order 13526 provided that a former president could obtain a waiver of the need-to-know requirement if the agency head or senior agency official of the agency that originated the classified information provided
One, determined in writing that the access was consistent with the interests of national security, and two, took appropriate steps to protect classified information from unauthorized disclosure or compromise and ensured that the information was safeguarded in a manner consistent with the order. Trump did not obtain any such waiver after his presidency.
the executive branch departments and agencies whose classified documents Trump retained after his presidency.
Nineteen. As part of his official duties as president, Trump received intelligence briefings from high-level United States government officials, including briefings from the Director of Central Intelligence, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, senior White House officials, and a designated briefer. He regularly received a collection of classified intelligence from the United States intelligence community, known as the President's Daily Brief. Twenty.
The United States intelligence community, or USIC's mission, was to collect, analyze, and deliver foreign intelligence and counterintelligence information to America's leaders, including the president, policymakers, law enforcement, and the military, so they could make sound decisions to protect the United States. The USIC consisted of United States executive branch departments and agencies responsible for the conduct of foreign relations and the protection of national security.
21. After his presidency, Trump retained classified documents originated by or implicating the equities of multiple USIC members and other executive branch departments and agencies, including the following. A. The Central Intelligence Agency, CIA. CIA was responsible for providing intelligence on foreign countries and global issues to the president and other policymakers to help them make national security decisions.
B, the Department of Defense, DOD. DOD was responsible for providing the military forces needed to deter war and ensure national security. Some of the executive branch agencies comprising the USIC were within DOD.
C. The National Security Agency. The National Security Agency was a combat support agency within DoD and a member of the USIC responsible for foreign signals intelligence and cybersecurity.
This included collecting, processing, and disseminating to United States policymakers and military leaders foreign intelligence derived from communications and information systems, protecting national security systems, and enabling computer network operations. D, the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency.
The National Geospatial Intelligence Agency was a combat support agency within DoD responsible for the exploitation and analysis of imagery, imagery intelligence, and geospatial information in support of the national security objective of the United States and the geospatial intelligence requirements of DoD, the Department of State, and other federal agencies.
E. The National Reconnaissance Office The National Reconnaissance Office was an agency within DoD responsible for developing, acquiring, launching, and operating space-based surveillance and reconnaissance systems that collected and delivered intelligence to enhance national security.
F. The Department of Energy. The Department of Energy was responsible for maintaining a safe, secure, and effective nuclear deterrent to protect the national security, including ensuring the effectiveness of the United States nuclear weapons stockpile without nuclear explosive testing.
G. The Department of State and Bureau of Intelligence and Research. The Department of State was responsible for protecting and promoting United States security, prosperity, and democratic values. Within the Department of State, the Bureau of Intelligence and Research was a member of the USIC and responsible for providing intelligence to inform diplomacy and support United States diplomats. Trump's Public Statements on Classified Information
22. As a candidate for President of the United States, Trump made the following public statements, among others, about classified information. A. On August 18, 2016, Trump stated, quote, In my administration, I'm going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information. No one will be above the law, end quote.
B, on September 6, 2016, Trump stated, quote, we also need to fight this battle by collecting intelligence and then protecting, protecting our classified secrets. We can't have someone in the Oval Office who doesn't understand the meaning of the word confidential or classified, end quote.
C. On September 7, 2016, Trump stated, quote, one of the first things we must do is enforce all classification rules and to enforce all laws relating to the handling of classified information, end quote. D. On September 19, 2016, Trump stated, quote, we also need the best protection of classified information, end quote.
E. On November 3, 2016, Trump stated, Service members here in North Carolina have risked their lives to acquire classified intelligence to protect our country. End quote. 23. As President of the United States, on July 26, 2018, Trump issued the following statement about classified information.
As the head of the executive branch and commander-in-chief, I have a unique constitutional responsibility to protect the nation's classified information, including by controlling access to it. More broadly, the issue of a former executive branch official's security clearance raises larger questions about the practice of former officials maintaining access to our nation's most sensitive secrets long after their time in government has ended.
Such access is particularly inappropriate when former officials have transitioned into highly partisan positions and seek to use real or perceived access to sensitive information to validate their political attacks. Any access granted to our nation's secrets should be in furtherance of national, not personal, interests. Trump's retention of classified documents after his presidency.
24. In January 2021, as he was preparing to leave the White House, Trump and his White House staff, including NADA, packed items, including some of Trump's boxes. Trump was personally involved in this process. Trump caused his boxes, containing hundreds of classified documents, to be transported from the White House to the Mar-a-Lago Club.
25. 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 stage as depicted in the photograph below. 26. In March 2021, Notta and others moved some of Trump's boxes from the White and Gold Ballroom to the business center at the Mar-a-Lago Club. 27.
On April 5th, 2021, an employee of the office of Donald J. Trump, Trump Employee 1, texted another employee of that office, Trump Employee 2, to ask whether Trump's boxes could be moved out of the business center to make room for staff to use it as an office.
Trump employee two replied, quote, whoa. OK, so POTUS specifically asked Walt for those boxes to be in the business center because they're his papers, end quote. Later that day, Trump employee one and Trump employee two exchanged the following text messages. Trump employee two, we can definitely make it work if we move his papers into the lake room.
Trump employee one. There's still a little room in the shower where his other stuff is. Is it only his papers he cares about? There's some other stuff in there that are not papers. Could that go into storage or does he want everything in there on the property?
Trump employee 2. Yes, anything that's not the beautiful mined paper boxes can definitely go into storage. Want to take a look at the space and start moving them tomorrow a.m.? 28. After the text exchanges between Trump employee 1 and Trump employee 2 in April 2021, some of Trump's boxes were moved from the business center to a bathroom and a shower inside the Mar-a-Lago club's lake room, as depicted in the photograph below. 29.
In May 2021, Trump directed that the storage room on the ground floor of the Mar-a-Lago Club, the storage room, be cleaned out so that it could be used to store his boxes. The hallway leading to the storage room could be reached from multiple outside entrances, including one accessible from the Mar-a-Lago Club pool patio through a doorway that was often kept open. The storage room was near the liquor supply closet, linen room, lock shop, and various other rooms.
30. On June 24, 2021, Trump's boxes that were in the Lake Room were moved to the storage room. After the move, there were more than 80 boxes in the storage room, as depicted in the photographs below. 31. On December 7, 2021, NADA found several of Trump's boxes fallen and their contents spilled onto the floor of the storage room, including a document marked SECRET, REL to USA, FVEY, which
which denoted that the information in the document was releasable only to the Five Eyes Intelligence Alliance consisting of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Notta texted Trump employee two, quote, I opened the door and found this, end quote. Notta also attached the two photographs he took of the spill. Trump employee two replied, quote, Oh no, oh no. And I'm sorry, POTUS had my phone.
One of the photographs Notta texted to Trump employee two is depicted below with the visible classified information redacted. Trump's unlawful retention of this document is charged in count eight of this indictment. More prosecuting Donald Trump, the full indictment read by me, Ali Velshi, in just a moment.
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Trump's Disclosures of Classified Information in Private Meetings, 32. In May 2021, Trump caused some of his boxes to be brought to his summer residence at the Bedminster Club. Like the Mar-a-Lago Club, after Trump's presidency, the Bedminster Club was not an authorized location for the storage, possession, review, display, or discussion of classified documents. 33.
On July 21st, 2021, when he was no longer president, Trump gave an interview in his office at the Bedminster Club to a writer and a publisher in connection with a then forthcoming book. Two members of Trump's staff also attended the interview, which was recorded with Trump's knowledge and consent.
Before the interview, the media had published reports that at the end of Trump's term as president, a senior military official purportedly feared that Trump might order an attack on country A and that the senior military official advised Trump against doing so. 34.
Upon greeting the writer, publisher, and his two staff members, Trump stated, quote, Later in the interview, Trump engaged in the following exchange. Trump said,
Well, with the senior military official, let's see. I'll show you an example. He said that I wanted to attack country A. Isn't it amazing? I have a big pile of papers. This thing just came up. Look, this was him. They presented me this. This is off the record, but they presented me this. This was him. This was the Defense Department and him. Writer. Wow. Trump. We looked at some. This was him. This wasn't done by me. This was him. All sorts of stuff. Pages long. Look. Staffer. Hmm.
Trump, wait a minute, let's see here. Staffer, laughter, yeah. Trump, I just found, isn't this amazing? This totally wins my case, you know? Staffer, mm-hmm. Trump, except it is like highly confidential. Staffer, yeah, laughter. Trump, secret. This is secret information. Look, look at this. You attack and, by the way, isn't that incredible? Staffer, yeah.
Trump. I was just thinking because we were talking about it and you know he said he wanted to attack country A and what... Staffer. You did? Trump. This was done by the military and given to me. I think we can probably, right? Staffer. I don't know. We'll have to see. Yeah, we'll have to try to... Trump. Declassify it. Staffer. Figure out a... yeah...
Trump, see as president, I could have declassified it. Staffer, yeah, laughter. Trump, now I can't, you know, but this is still a secret. Staffer, yeah, laughter. Now we have a problem. Trump, isn't that interesting?
At the time of this exchange, the writer, the publisher, and Trump's two staff members did not have security clearances or any need to know any classified information about a plan of attack on country A.
35. In August or September 2021, when he was no longer president, Trump met in his office at the Bedminster Club with a representative of his political action committee. During the meeting, Trump commented that an ongoing military operation in country B was not going well.
Trump showed the PAC representative a classified map of country B and told the PAC representative that he should not be showing the map to the PAC representative and to not get too close. The PAC representative did not have a security clearance or any need to know classified information about the military operation. 36. On February 16th, 2017, four years before Trump's disclosures of classified information set forth above Congress,
Trump said at a press conference, The first thing I thought of when I heard about it is, how does the press get this information that's classified? How do they do it? You know why? Because it's an illegal process, and the press should be ashamed of themselves. But more importantly, the people that gave out the information to the press should be ashamed of themselves. Really ashamed. Trump's production of 15 cardboard boxes to the National Archives and Records Administration. 37.
Beginning in May 2021, the National Archives and Records Administration, NARA, which was responsible for archiving presidential records, repeatedly demanded that Trump turn over presidential records that he had kept after his presidency. On multiple occasions, beginning in June, NARA warned Trump through his representatives that if he did not comply, it would refer the matter of the missing records to the Department of Justice.
38. Between November 2021 and January 2022, NADA and Trump Employee 2 at Trump's direction brought boxes from the storage room to Trump's residence for Trump to review. 39. On November 12, 2021, Trump Employee 2 provided Trump a photograph of his boxes in the storage room by taping it to one of the boxes that Trump Employee 2 had placed in Trump's residence.
Trump employee, too, provided Trump the photograph so that Trump could see how many of his boxes were stored in the storage room. The photograph shown below depicted a wall of the storage room against which dozens of Trump's boxes were stacked.
40. On November 17th, 2021, NADA text Trump employee number two about the photograph Trump employee two had provided to Trump, stating, quote, He mentioned about a picture of the boxes. He wants me to see it. End quote. Trump employee two replied, quote, Calling you shortly. End quote.
41. On November 25, 2021, Trump employee 2 texted Notta about Trump's review of the contents of his boxes, asking, quote, Has he mentioned boxes to you? I delivered some, but I think he may need more. Could you ask if he'd like more in Pine Hall? End quote. Pine Hall was an entry room in Trump's residence. Notta replied in three successive text messages. 41.
Nothing about boxes yet. He has one he's working on in Pine Hall. Knocked out two boxes yesterday. 42. On November 29, 2021, Trump employee 2 texted NADA, asking, quote, Next you are on property, no rush. Could you help me bring four more boxes up? NADA replied, yes, of course. 43.
On December 29, 2021, Trump employee 2 texted a Trump representative who was in contact with Nara. Quote, box answer will be wrenched out of him today. Promise, end quote. The next day, Trump representative 1 replied in two successive text messages. Hey, just checking on boxes. Would love to have a number to them today.
Trump employee 2 spoke to Trump and then responded a few hours later in two successive text messages. 12 is his number. 44. On January 13, 2022, NADA texted Trump employee 2 about Trump's tracking of boxes, stating, quote, He's tracking the boxes. More to follow today on whether he wants to go through more today or tomorrow, end quote. Trump employee 2 replied, Thank you. 45.
On January 15, 2022, Notta sent Trump employee two four successive text messages. One thing he asked was for new covers for the boxes for Monday morning. Can we get new box covers before giving these to them on Monday? They have too much writing on them. I marked too much. Trump employee two replied, yes, I will get that.
On January 17, 2022, Trump employee Tu and Nata gathered 15 boxes from Trump's residence, loaded the boxes into Nata's car, and took them to a commercial truck for delivery to Nara.
47. When interviewed by the FBI in May 2022 regarding the location and movement of boxes before production to NARA, Notta made false and misleading statements as set forth in Count 38 of this indictment, including A. falsely stating that he was not aware of Trump's boxes being brought to Trump's residences for his review before Trump provided 15 boxes to NARA in January 2022.
B, falsely stating that he did not know how the boxes that he and Trump employee two brought from Trump's residence to the commercial truck for delivery to NARA on January 17, 2022, had gotten to the residence. And C, when asked whether he knew where Trump's boxes had been stored before they were in Trump's residence and whether they had been in a secure or locked location, Nara falsely responded, quote, I wish, I wish I could tell you. I don't know.
I don't. I honestly just don't know. End quote. 48. When the 15 boxes that Trump had provided reached NARA in January 2022, NARA reviewed the contents and determined that 14 of the boxes contained documents with classification markings. Specifically, as the FBI later determined, the boxes contained 197 documents with classification markings, of which 98 were marked secret, 35
30 were marked "Top Secret" and the remainder were marked "Confidential." Some of those documents also contained SCI and SAP markings. 49. On February 9, 2022, NARA referred the discovery of classified documents in Trump's boxes to the Department of Justice for investigation. The FBI and Grand Jury Investigations 50. On March 30, 2022, the FBI opened a criminal investigation.
51. On April 26, 2022, a federal grand jury opened an investigation. The defendant's concealment of boxes. 52. On May 11, 2022, the grand jury issued a subpoena, the May 11 subpoena, to the office of Donald J. Trump requiring the production of all documents with classification markings in the possession, custody, or control of Trump or the office of Donald J. Trump.
Two attorneys representing Trump, Trump Attorney 1 and Trump Attorney 2, informed Trump of the May 11th subpoena, and he authorized Trump Attorney 1 to accept service. Fifty-three. On May 22, 2022, Notta entered the storage room at 3.47 p.m. and left approximately 34 minutes later, carrying one of Trump's boxes. Fifty-four.
On May 23, 2022, Trump met with Trump attorney one and Trump attorney two at the Mar-a-Lago club to discuss the response to the May 11 subpoena. Trump attorney one and Trump attorney two told Trump that they needed to search for documents that would be responsive to the subpoena and provide a certification that there had been compliance with the subpoena. Trump, in sum and substance, made the following statements, among others, as memorialized by Trump attorney one. A.
I don't want anybody looking. I don't want anybody looking through my boxes. I really don't. I don't want you looking through my boxes. B. Well, what happens if we just don't respond at all or don't play ball with them? C. Wouldn't it be better if we just told them we don't have anything here? D. Well, look, isn't it better if there are no documents?
55. While meeting with Trump attorney one and Trump attorney two on May 23, Trump in some end substance told the following story as memorialized by Trump attorney one.
Attorney, he was great. He did a great job. You know what? He said he said it that that it was him, that he was the one who deleted all of her emails, the 30,000 emails, because they basically dealt with her scheduling and her going to the gym and her having beauty appointments. And he was great. And he so she didn't get in any trouble because he said that he was the one who deleted them. Trump related the story more than once that day.
56. On May 23rd, Trump also confirmed his understanding with Trump Attorney 1 that Trump Attorney 1 would return to the Mar-a-Lago Club on June 2 to search for any documents with classification markings to produce in response to the May 11 subpoena. Trump Attorney 1 made it clear to Trump that Trump Attorney 1 would conduct the search for responsive documents by looking through Trump's boxes that had been transported from the White House and remained in storage at the Mar-a-Lago Club.
Trump indicated that he wanted to be at the Mar-a-Lago club when Trump attorney one returned to review his boxes on June two and that Trump would change his summer travel plans to do so. Trump told Trump attorney to the Trump attorney to did not need to be present for the review of boxes.
Fifty-seven. After meeting with Trump Attorney 1 and Trump Attorney 2 on May 23, Trump delayed his departure from the Mar-a-Lago Club to the Bedminster Club for the summer so that he would be present at the Mar-a-Lago Club on June 2 when Trump Attorney 1 returned to review the boxes. Fifty-eight.
Between Trump's May 23 meeting with Trump attorney one and Trump attorney two to discuss the May 11 subpoena and June two, when Trump attorney one returned to the Mar-a-Lago club to review the boxes in the storage room, Nata removed at Trump's direction a total of approximately 64 boxes from the storage room and brought them to Trump's residence as set forth below.
A. On May 24, 2022, between 5.30 p.m. and 5.38 p.m., NADA removed three boxes from the storage room. B. On May 30, 2022, at 9.08 a.m., Trump and NADA spoke by phone for approximately 30 seconds. Between 10.02 a.m. and 11.51 a.m., NADA removed a total of approximately 50 boxes from the storage room.
C. On May 30, 2022, at 12.33 p.m., a Trump family member texted Nada. Good afternoon, Walt. Happy Memorial Day. I saw you put boxes to POTUS room. Just FYI, and I will tell him as well, not sure how many he wants to take on Friday on the plane. We will not have room for them. Plane will be full with luggage. Thank you.
Not a replied. Good afternoon, ma'am. Smiley face emoji. Thank you so much. I think he wanted to pick from them. I don't imagine him wanting to take the boxes. He told me to put them in the room and that he was going to talk to you about them. D on June 1, 2022, beginning at 1252 p.m. Not a removed approximately 11 boxes from the storage room.
59. On June 1, 2022, Trump spoke with Trump attorney one by phone and asked whether Trump attorney one was coming to the Mar-a-Lago club the next day and for exactly what purpose. Trump attorney one reminded Trump that Trump attorney one was going to review the boxes that had been transported from the White House and remained in storage at the Mar-a-Lago club so that Trump attorney one could have a custodian of records certify that the May 11th subpoena had been complied with fully.
60. On June 2, 2022, the day that Trump attorney one was scheduled to review Trump's boxes in the storage room, Trump spoke with Nata on the phone at 9.29 a.m. for approximately 24 seconds. 61. Later that day, between 12.33 p.m. and 12.52 p.m., Nata and an employee of the Mar-a-Lago Club moved approximately 30 boxes from Trump's residence to the storage room.
62. In sum, between May 23, 2022 and June 2, 2022, before Trump attorney one's review of Trump's boxes in the storage room, NADA at Trump's direction moved approximately 64 boxes from the storage room to Trump's residence and brought to the storage room only approximately 30 boxes. Neither Trump nor NADA informed Trump attorney one of this information.
More prosecuting Donald Trump, the full indictment read by me, Ali Velshi, in just a moment.
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The false certification to the FBI and the grand jury. 63. On the afternoon of June 2, 2022, as Trump had been informed, Trump attorney one arrived at the Mar-a-Lago club to review Trump's boxes to look for documents with classification markings in response to the May 11 subpoena. Trump met with Trump attorney one before Trump attorney one conducted the review. Nada escorted Trump attorney one to the storage room. 64.
Between 3.53 p.m. and 6.23 p.m., Trump attorney one reviewed the contents of Trump's boxes in the storage room. Trump attorney one located 38 documents with classification markings inside the boxes, which Trump attorney one removed and placed in a Redwell folder.
Trump attorney one contacted NADA and asked him to bring clear duct tape to the storage room, which NADA did. Trump attorney one used the clear duct tape to seal the Red Weld folder with the documents with classification markings inside.
65. After Trump attorney one finished sealing the red-weld folder containing the documents with classification markings that he'd found inside Trump's boxes, NADA took Trump attorney one to a dining room in the Mar-a-Lago club to meet with Trump. After Trump attorney one confirmed that he was finished with his search of the storage room, Trump asked, quote, did you find anything? Is it bad? Good? End quote.
Sixty-six. Trump and Trump attorney one then discussed what to do with the red-weld folder containing documents with classification markings and whether Trump attorney one should bring them to his hotel room and put them in a safe there. During that conversation, Trump made a plucking motion as memorialized by Trump attorney one. He made a funny motion as though, well, okay, why don't you take them with you to your hotel room and if there's anything really bad in there, like, you know, pluck it out. And that was the motion he made.
He didn't say that. 67. That evening, Trump attorney one contacted the Department of Justice and requested that an FBI agent meet him at the Mar-a-Lago Club the next day, June 3, so that he could turn over the documents responsive to the May 11 subpoena.
68. Also that evening, Trump attorney one contacted another Trump attorney, Trump attorney three, and asked her if she would come to the Mar-a-Lago club the next morning to act as a custodian of records and sign a certification regarding the search for documents with classification markings in response to the May 11 subpoena. Trump attorney three, who had no role in the review of Trump's boxes in the storage room, agreed.
69. The next day, on June 3, 2022, at Trump Attorney 1's request, Trump Attorney 3 signed a certification as the custodian of records for the office of Donald J. Trump and took it to the Mar-a-Lago club to provide it to the Department of Justice and FBI.
In the certification, Trump attorney three, who performed no search of Trump's boxes, had not reviewed the May 11th subpoena and had not reviewed the contents of the Red Weld folder, stated, among other things, that, quote, based on the information that had been provided to her, a diligent search was conducted of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Florida.
B, this search was conducted after receipt of the subpoena in order to locate any and all documents that are responsive to the subpoena, and C, any and all responsive documents accompany this certification, end quote.
70. These statements were false because, among other reasons, Trump had directed NADA to move boxes before Trump attorney one's June 2 review so that many boxes were not searched and many documents responsive to the May 11 subpoena could not be found and, in fact, were not found by Trump attorney one.
71. Shortly after Trump attorney three executed the false certification on June 3, 2022, Trump attorney one and Trump attorney three met at the Mar-a-Lago club with personnel from the Department of Justice and FBI. Trump attorney one and Trump attorney three turned over the red weld folder containing documents with classification markings, as well as the false certification signed by Trump attorney three as custodian of records.
Trump, who had delayed his departure from the Mar-a-Lago Club, joined Trump attorney one and Trump attorney three for some of the meeting. Trump claimed to the Department of Justice and FBI that he was, quote, an open book. 72. Earlier that same day, NADA and others loaded several of Trump's boxes along with other items on aircraft that flew Trump and his family north for the summer. The court authorized search of the Mar-a-Lago Club.
73. In July 2022, the FBI and grand jury obtained and reviewed surveillance video from the Mar-a-Lago Club showing the movements of boxes set forth above. 74. On August 8, 2022, the FBI executed a court-authorized search warrant at the Mar-a-Lago Club. The search warrant authorized the FBI to search for and seize, among other things, all documents with classification markings.
75. During the execution of the warrant at the Mar-a-Lago Club, the FBI seized 102 documents with classification markings in Trump's office and the storage room as follows. Location, Trump's office. Number of documents, 27. Classification markings, top secret, 6. Secret, 18. Confidential, 3.
Storage Room Number of Documents: 75 Top Secret: 11 Secret: 36 28 Counts 1 to 31 Willful Retention of National Defense Information Title 18 United States Code Section 793-E 76 The general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference.
77. On or about the dates set forth in the table below in Palm Beach County in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendant, Donald J. Trump, having unauthorized possession of, access to, and control over documents relating to the national defense, did willfully retain the documents and failed to deliver them to the officer and employee of the United States entitled to receive them. 77.
That is, Trump, without authorization, retained at the Mar-a-Lago Club documents related to the national defense, including the following.
Count 1. Date of Offense: January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022 Classification Marking: Top Secret, No Foreign, Special Handling Document Description: Document dated May 3, 2018, concerning White House Intelligence Briefing related to various foreign countries
Count 2, date of offense January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022, classification marking, top secret, SI, no foreign, special handling, document description, document dated May 9, 2018, concerning White House intelligence briefing related to various foreign countries.
Count 3, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, SI, no foreign, FISA. Document description, undated document concerning military capabilities of a foreign country and the United States with handwritten annotation in black marker.
Count 4: Date of Offense January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022 Classification Marking: Top Secret, Special Handling Document Description: Document dated May 6, 2019 concerning White House Intelligence Briefing related to foreign countries including military activities and planning of foreign countries Count 5: Date of Offense January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022
Classification marking, top secret, redacted, orcon, no foreign. Document description, document dated June 20 concerning nuclear capabilities of a foreign country.
Count 6 Date of Offense January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022 Classification Marking Top Secret Special Handling Document Description Document dated June 4, 2020 Concerning White House Intelligence Briefing Related to Various Foreign Countries
Count 7, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, no foreign. Document description, document dated October 21, 2018, concerning communications with a leader of a foreign country.
Count 8, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, releasable to U.S., Five Eyes Alliance. Document description, document dated October 4, 2019, concerning military capabilities of a foreign country.
Date of offense, count nine, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, redacted, Orcon, Noforn, FISA. Document description, undated document concerning military attacks by a foreign country. Count 10, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022.
Classification marking, top secret, TK, no foreign. Document description, document dated November 2017 concerning military capabilities of a foreign country. Count 11, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, no marking. Documentation description, undated document concerning military contingency planning of the United States.
Count 12, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, releasable to USA, Five Eyes Alliance, document description, pages of undated document concerning projected regional military capabilities of a foreign country and the United States.
Count 13, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, S-I-T-K, no foreign. Document description, undated document concerning military capabilities of a foreign country and the United States.
Count 14, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, or con, no foreign. Document description, document dated January 2020, concerning military options of a foreign country and potential effects on United States interests.
Count 15, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, or con, no foreign. Document description, document dated February 2020 concerning policies in a foreign country. Count 16, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, or con, no foreign.
Document description, document dated December 2019 concerning foreign country support of terrorist acts against United States interests. Count 17, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, redacted, TK, Orcon, Imcon, no foreign. Document description, document dated January 2020 concerning military capabilities of a foreign country.
Count 18, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, no foreign. Document description, document dated March 2020 concerning military operations against United States forces and others.
Count 19, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, formally restricted data. Document description, undated document concerning nuclear weaponry of the United States.
Count 20, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, redacted, or con, no foreign. Document description, undated document concerning timeline and details of attack in a foreign country.
Count 21, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to August 8, 2022. Classification marking, secret, no foreign. Document description, undated document concerning military capabilities of foreign countries.
Count 22, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, redacted, arson, orcon, no foreign. Document description, document dated August 2019 concerning regional military activity of a foreign country.
Count 23, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, special handling. Document description, document dated August 30, 2019 concerning White House intelligence briefing related to various foreign countries with handwritten annotation in black marker. Count 24, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022.
Classification marking, top secret, HCS-P, SI, ORCON-USGOV, no foreign. Document description, undated document concerning military activity of a foreign country.
Count 25, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, HCS-P, SI, Orcon-USGov, no foreign. Document description, document dated October 24, 2019, concerning military activity of foreign countries and the United States.
Count 26, Date of Offense: January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022 Classification Marking: Top Secret, Redacted, Orcon, NoForn, FISA Document Description: Document dated November 7, 2019, concerning military activity of foreign countries and the United States
Count 27, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, SI, TK, no foreign. Document description, document dated November 2019 concerning military activity of foreign countries.
Count 28, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, special handling. Document description, document dated October 18, 2019, concerning White House intelligence briefing related to various foreign countries.
Count 29, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, redacted, SITK, ORCON, no foreign. Document description, document dated October 18, 2019, concerning military capabilities of a foreign country.
Count 30, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, redacted, Orcon, no foreign, FISA. Document description, document dated October 15th, 2019, concerning military activity in a foreign country.
Count 31, date of offense, January 20, 2021 to June 3, 2022. Classification marking, top secret, S-I-T-K, no foreign. Document description, document dated February 2017 concerning military activity of a foreign country. All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 793-E.
Count 32, Conspiracy to Obstruct Justice, Title 18, United States Code, Section 1512K. 78, the general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference. The conspiracy and its objects.
79. From on or about May 11, 2022 through in or around August 2022, in Palm Beach County, in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendants, Donald J. Trump and Walton Notta,
did knowingly combine, conspire, confederate, and agree with each other and with others known and unknown to the grand jury to engage in misleading conduct toward another person and corruptly persuade another person to withhold a record, document, and other object from an official proceeding in violation of Title 18 United States Code 1512B2.
and to corruptly conceal a record, document, and other object from an official proceeding in violation of Title 18 United States Code 1512-C-1. The purpose of the conspiracy. 80. The purpose of the conspiracy was for Trump to keep classified documents he had taken with him from the White House and to hide and conceal them from a federal grand jury.
the manner and means of the conspiracy eighty one the manner and means by which the defendants sought to accomplish the objects and purpose of the conspiracy included among other things the following
A. Suggesting that Trump attorney 1 falsely represent to the FBI and grand jury that Trump did not have documents called for by the May 11 subpoena. B. Moving boxes of documents to conceal them from Trump attorney 1, the FBI, and the grand jury. C. Suggesting that Trump attorney 1 hide or destroy documents called for by the May 11 subpoena. D.
Providing to the FBI and grand jury just some of the documents called for by the May 11 subpoena, while Trump claimed he was cooperating fully. Causing a false certification to be submitted to the FBI and grand jury, representing that all documents with classification markings had been produced, when in fact they had not, and F, making false and misleading statements to the FBI.
all in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1512 . Count 33. Withholding a document or record. Title 18 United States Code, Section 1512 and 2. 82. The general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference. 83. From on or about May 11, 2022 through in or around August 2022,
in Palm Beach County in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendants, Donald J. Trump and Walton Notta, did knowingly engage in misleading conduct toward another person and knowingly corruptly persuade and attempt to persuade another person with intent to cause and induce any person to withhold a record, document, and other object from an official proceeding."
That is, one, Trump attempted to persuade Trump attorney one to hide and conceal documents from a federal grand jury. And two, Trump and Notta misled Trump attorney one by moving boxes that contain documents with classification markings so that Trump attorney one would not find the documents and produce them to a federal grand jury. All in violation of Title 18 United States Code sections 1512 B2A and 2.
Count 34, corruptly concealing a document or record, Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512C1 and 2. 84. The general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference.
85. From on or about May 11, 2022 through in or around August 2022 in Palm Beach County in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendants, Donald J. Trump and Walton Notta, did corruptly conceal a record, document, and other object and attempted to do so with the intent to impair the object's integrity and availability for use in an official proceeding.
That is, Trump and Notta hid and concealed boxes that contained documents with classification markings from Trump attorney one so that Trump attorney one would not find the documents and produce them to a federal grand jury.
all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1512C1 and 2. Count 35, Concealing a Document in a Federal Investigation, Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1519 and 2. 86, The general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference. 87,
From on or about May 11, 2022 through in or around August 2022, in Palm Beach County in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendants, Donald J. Trump and Walton Notta, did knowingly conceal, cover up, falsify, and make a false entry in any record, document, and tangible object,
with the intent to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation and proper administration of any matter within the jurisdiction of a department and agency of the United States,
And in relation to and contemplation of any such matter, that is, during a federal investigation being conducted by the FBI, one, Trump and Notta hid, concealed, and covered up from the FBI Trump's continued possession of documents with classification markings at the Mar-a-Lago Club, and two, Trump caused a false certification to be submitted to the FBI.
all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 15, 19, and 2. Count 36, Scheme to Conceal, Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1001A1 and 2. 88. The general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference.
89. From on or about May 11, 2022 through in or around August 2022 in Palm Beach County, in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendants, Donald J. Trump and Walton Notta, in a matter within the jurisdiction of the judicial branch and executive branch of the United States government, did knowingly and willfully falsify, conceal, and cover up by any trick
scheme and device, a material fact that is, during a federal grand jury investigation and a federal criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI, Trump and Notta hid and concealed from the grand jury and the FBI Trump's continued possession of documents with classification markings.
all in violation of Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1001A, 1 and 2. Count 37 False Statements and Representations Title 18 United States Code, Sections 1001A, 2 and 2. 90 The general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference. 91
On or about June 3, 2022, in Palm Beach County in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendant, Donald J. Trump, in a matter within the jurisdiction of the judicial branch and executive branch of the United States government, did knowingly and willfully make and cause to be made a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation.
That is, during a federal grand jury investigation and a federal criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI, Trump caused the following false statements and representations to be made to the grand jury and the FBI in a sworn certification executed by Trump attorney three. A, quote, a diligent search was conducted of the boxes that were moved from the White House to Florida, end quote.
B, quote, this search was conducted after receipt of the subpoena in order to locate any and all documents that are responsive to the subpoena, end quote. And C, quote, any and all responsive documents accompany this certification, end quote.
92. The statements and representations set forth above were false, as Trump knew, because Trump had directed that boxes be removed from the storage room before Trump attorney one conducted the June 2, 2022 search for documents with classification markings.
so that Trump attorney one search would not and did not include all of Trump's boxes that were removed from the White House. Trump attorney one search would not and did not locate all documents responsive to the May 11th subpoena and all responsive documents were not provided to the FBI and the grand jury with the certification.
In fact, after June 3, 2022, more than 100 documents with classification markings remained at the Mar-a-Lago Club until the FBI search on August 8, 2022, all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1001A2 and 2. Count 38, False Statements and Representations, Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001A2.
93. The general allegations of this indictment are re-alleged and fully incorporated here by reference.
94. On May 26, 2022, NADA participated in a voluntary interview with the FBI. During the interview, the FBI explained to NADA that the FBI was investigating how classified documents had been kept at the Mar-a-Lago club, and the FBI asked NADA questions about the location and movement of Trump's boxes before Trump provided 15 boxes to NARA on January 17, 2022. 95.
95.
On or about May 26, 2022, in Palm Beach County, in the Southern District of Florida and elsewhere, the defendant, Walton Notta, in a matter within the jurisdiction of the executive branch of the United States government, did knowingly and willfully make a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement and representation.
That is, in a voluntary interview during a federal criminal investigation being conducted by the FBI, Notta was asked the following questions and gave the following false answers.
Question. Does any, are you aware of any boxes being brought to his home, his suite? Answer. No. Question. All right. So to the best of your knowledge, you're saying that those boxes that you brought onto the truck, first time you ever laid eyes on them was just the day of when Trump employee two needed you to? Answer. Correct. Question. To take them. Okay.
Question. In knowing that we were trying to track the life of these boxes and where they could have been kept and stored and all that kind of stuff, answer, mm-hmm. Question. Do you have any information that could, that would, that could help us understand, like where they were kept, how they were kept, were they secured, were they locked? Something that makes the intelligence community feel better about these things, you know? Answer. I wish. I wish I could tell you. I don't know. I honestly just don't know.
Question, and what? So you only saw the 15 boxes, 15, 17 boxes? Answer, question, the day of the move? Even they just showed up that day? Answer, they were in Pine Hall, Trump employee too, just asked me, hey, can we move some boxes? Question, okay, answer. And I was like, okay, question. So you didn't know, had no idea how they got there before? Answer, no.
96. The underscored statements and representations above were false, as Notta knew, because 1. Notta did in fact know that the boxes in Pine Hall had come from the storage room, as Notta himself, with the assistance of Trump employee 2, had moved the boxes from the storage room to Pine Hall, and 2. Notta had observed the boxes in and moved them to various locations at the Mar-a-Lago Club.
all in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001A.2. A true bill. Signed, foreperson. Signed, Jack Smith, Special Counsel, United States Department of Justice.
Thanks so much for listening. You can catch Velshi every weekend at 10 a.m. Eastern on MSNBC. The senior producer for this show is Alicia Conley. Jessica Schrecker is a segment producer. Our technical director is Bryson Barnes. Our audio engineer is Alex Higgins. Janmaris Perez is the associate producer. Aisha Turner is an executive producer. And Rebecca Cutler is the senior vice president for content strategy at MSNBC.
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