Former President Donald Trump was indicted on 37 counts for alleged crimes related to his mishandling of classified documents, which includes a charge of espionage.
According to the indictment, Trump allegedly instructed his attorneys to hide information from the Department of Justice, suggesting they ‘pluck out’ damaging classified documents; instructed his closest aide to lie; and is on tape admitting that some of the documents in his possession were in fact not declassified and more.
The photos in the indictment — including one from In the Mar-a-Lago storage room of 11 documents marked ‘Top Secret,’ 36 with ‘Secret’ markings, and 28 labeled as ‘Confidential’ — are shocking. For instance, US nuclear secrets are carelessly squeezed into cubby holes and bathrooms all around Mar-a-Lago.
According to one testimony, Trump is alleged to have said:
‘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,’ a conversation by Trump included in the indictment states.
‘Well what if we, what happens if we just don’t respond at all or don’t play ball with them?’ Trump allegedly said, referring to the Department of Justice.
‘Wouldn’t it be better if we just told them we don’t have anything here?’ Trump is alleged to have continued according to the document.
‘Well look isn’t it better if there are no documents.’
Ironically, Trump promised on the 2016 campaign trail: ‘In my administration, I’m going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information.’
That is now going to come back and bite him.