Former President Donald Trump, along with two of his allies, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, have been hit with a superseding indictment, accusing them of attempting to obstruct justice by requesting the deletion of security camera footage at the Mar-a-Lago Club.[0] The alleged request was made in June 2022, shortly after the Justice Department subpoenaed the footage as part of an investigation.[1] The revised indictment includes two additional obstruction counts against Trump, one for attempting to alter or destroy evidence and another for inducing someone else to do the same. This new indictment adds to the existing charges against Trump, who already faces 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information.
According to the indictment, Trump's lawyers learned that the Justice Department would be seeking the surveillance footage.[2] Trump then reportedly spoke to Nauta and De Oliveira, instructing them to have another employee delete the footage.[2] It is unclear whether the footage was actually deleted, but the indictment refers to an “attempt” to destroy it.[2] Prosecutors allege that Nauta and De Oliveira, along with another Trump employee, attempted to delete the security camera footage in an effort to keep it out of the hands of federal investigators.[0]
The superseding indictment also adds new charges related to Trump's handling of classified documents.[3] One of the new charges accuses Trump of willfully retaining national defense information, specifically a top-secret document detailing attack plans against Iran.[1] This document was allegedly discussed by Trump during a recorded meeting at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club in July 2021.[4] The indictment states that this is the 32nd classified document that Trump has been accused of holding onto.[1]
The indictment provides further details about the alleged actions of Nauta and De Oliveira.[5] It states that De Oliveira asked the director of IT at Mar-a-Lago about the retention period for surveillance footage and then informed him that “the boss” wanted the server deleted.[6] De Oliveira also allegedly had a conversation with an IT department employee, asking about deleting a server with 45 days of security footage on it. When the employee expressed uncertainty about whether such an action was authorized, De Oliveira reportedly told him that “the boss” wanted it deleted.
In response to the additional charges, a spokesperson for Trump's presidential campaign issued a statement calling them a “continued desperate and flailing attempt by the Biden Crime Family and their Department of Justice to harass President Trump and those around him.”[5] Trump's attorney, John Irving, did not respond to a request for comment.[7]
Carlos De Oliveira has been summoned to appear in federal court in Miami on July 31.[7] The indictment does not mention any court appearances for Trump or Nauta.[3] The charges against Trump and his allies come as part of Special Counsel Jack Smith's investigation into the mishandling of classified documents during Trump's time in the White House.[8]
This new indictment adds to the legal troubles facing former President Donald Trump. The charges of obstruction of justice and willful retention of national defense information are serious allegations that could have significant implications for Trump's future.[1] As the investigation continues, it remains to be seen how these charges will play out in court and what impact they will have on Trump's political career.
0. “Trump and new defendant charged with attempting to delete Mar-a-Lago video surveillance” Miami Herald, 27 Jul. 2023, https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/crime/article277726698.html
1. “Trump, Mar-a-Lago Worker Hit With New Charges in Documents Case” New York Magazine, 28 Jul. 2023, https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/07/trump-mar-a-lago-worker-face-new-charges-in-documents-case.html
2. “The new Trump indictment, and what’s new in it, explained” Vox.com, 28 Jul. 2023, https://www.vox.com/2023/7/27/23810682/trump-indictment-documents-carlos-de-oliveira
3. “Trump charged with new crimes in classified documents case” POLITICO, 28 Jul. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/07/27/feds-add-new-charges-against-trump-in-classified-documents-case-00108667
4. “Special counsel brings more charges against Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago classified documents case” CNN, 28 Jul. 2023, https://www.cnn.com/2023/07/27/politics/trump-mar-a-lago-special-counsel/index.html
5. “Trump hit with more charges as Mar-a-Lago worker added to documents case” The Independent, 28 Jul. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-mar-a-lago-documents-worker-charged-b2383315.html
6. “Trump faces more charges in classified documents case as second aide named” The Guardian US, 27 Jul. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/27/trump-mar-a-lago-classified-documents-case-carlos-de-oliveira
7. “Superseding indictment in Trump documents case could delay trial” Business Insider, 28 Jul. 2023, https://www.businessinsider.com/superseding-indictment-in-trump-classified-documents-case-could-delay-trial-2023-7
8. “Carlos De Oliveira Named Alongside Donald Trump, Walt Nauta in Mar-a-Lago Classified Docs Case” The Daily Beast, 27 Jul. 2023, https://www.thedailybeast.com/carlos-de-oliveira-named-alongside-donald-trump-walt-nauta-in-mar-a-lago-classified-docs-case
