Following the unsealing of a 37-count indictment against Donald Trump, former US president, prosecutors have accused him of jeopardizing highly sensitive security secrets of the country after leaving the White House in 2021.
According to the federal indictment, Trump mishandled classified documents, including information about the secretive US nuclear program and potential vulnerabilities within the country in case of an attack.
The charges state that Trump discussed the possibility of lying to government officials seeking to retrieve the documents, stored some of them in boxes near a toilet, and relocated others within his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to avoid detection.
The indictment reveals a statement made by Trump to one of his attorneys suggesting that it would be better to claim that no such documents existed at his residence.
Prosecutors emphasized that the unauthorized disclosure of classified materials poses risks to national security, foreign relations, and intelligence gathering.
The Justice Department publicly announced the criminal charges on a tumultuous day that saw two of Trump’s lawyers leave the case without immediate clarification. A former aide, Walt Nauta, also faces charges as a co-conspirator.
Trump is scheduled to appear in a Miami court for his initial hearing on Tuesday, which coincides with his 77th birthday.
If convicted, Trump would face a maximum prison sentence of 20 years for obstruction of justice, the charge carrying the highest penalty. The concurrent serving of any sentences would apply in this case.
US Special Counsel Jack Smith, leading the prosecution, emphasized the importance of enforcing laws that safeguard national defense information during a press conference. He stated that the laws apply to everyone, irrespective of their position or status.
Trump, maintaining his innocence, launched an attack on Smith via social media after the charges were unsealed.
The indictment of a former US president on federal charges is unprecedented in American history and comes at a time when Trump is a frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in the upcoming year.
Trump’s legal troubles have not yet affected his popularity among Republican voters, according to Reuters/Ipsos polling. However, the charges presented in the indictment could provide his Republican rivals with ammunition to question his national security credentials, despite their previous support for him.
