Trump charged with 37 counts in classified documents case, indictment says

A 37-count criminal indictment against Donald Trump over his handling of classified government records was unsealed Friday.

The charging document was made public a day after the former president was indicted by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Miami.

Among other allegations, the indictment says Trump showed classified documents to other people in 2021, after leaving office. The FBI raid of Trump’s Florida home last August discovered hundreds of classified documents, which he had failed to turn over to U.S. officials despite months of their efforts to recover them.

Also charged in the indictment was Trump’s valet, Walter Nauta, who faces several of the same charges as his boss. Nauta also is charged with making a false statement or representation.

Trump is due to be arraigned in Miami on Tuesday, the day before his 77th birthday.

Thirty-one of the counts accuse Trump of willful retention of national defense information. He is also charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice; withholding a document or record; corruptly concealing a document or record; concealing a document in a federal investigation; scheme to conceal; and false statements and representations

The indictment notes, “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,” the indictment says.

The indictment estimates that Trump’s trial would take between 21 and 60 days.

Earlier Friday, two of his lawyers resigned from representing him in the classified documents case, and in another pending federal criminal investigation for his efforts to overturn his loss in the 2020 presidential election.

Read the indictment against Donald Trump

This is breaking news. Check back for updates.