As a co-defendant in a lawsuit accusing the 45th president of hoarding national security information after leaving office, Trump said he was actually on a daily jog when he was being questioned by FBI agents. New court documents reveal what we thought was the case.
“as far as [Trump] I know, I jog,” Walt Nauta told federal authorities in a May 26, 2022, interview, the recording of which was made public Thursday in South Florida federal court.
“So we need you to sweat before we go back,” one anonymous agent replied.
Law and Crime was first reported Regarding the record of Nauta’s interview.
The FBI is investigating Republican presidential candidate Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos de Oliveira after President Trump allegedly kept a treasure trove of classified documents in his Palm Beach mansion after leaving the White House. Mr. Nauta was being questioned regarding a lawsuit filed against him. In January 2021, he allegedly tried to cover it up with the help of two staff members.
The agent went on to tell Nauta: We know it’s uncomfortable. ”
“Well, I’m not lying to him. He’s just, you know-” Nauta replied.
“I assume,” the agent interjected.
Trump “thinks I’m on the run. Yeah,” Nauta said.
Nauta’s attorney filed the brief Thursday as he was scheduled to appear in a Fort Pierce courtroom Friday to argue that the charges against his client should be dismissed. Mr. de Oliveira’s lawyer is also calling for the charges against him to be dropped.
Florida Judge Eileen Cannon, who is overseeing Friday’s hearing, last month asked the 45th president to dismiss Special Counsel Jack Smith’s case, but she also ruled against Mr. Nauta and Mr. de Olivera. It was hinted that it might go down.
Mr. Smith’s office has requested that the trial proceed this summer, while Mr. Trump’s lawyers have asked that the trial be delayed until after the election. But Cannon said in early March that “there’s still a lot of work to do,” suggesting the prosecutor’s timeline might not be realistic.
President Trump, 77, faces the first of up to four criminal trials on Monday, with jury selection beginning in the New York case that charges him with business fraud.
