Justice Dept. Intensifying Efforts to Determine if Trump Hid Documents

The Justice Department is intensifying its efforts to determine whether former President Donald J. Trump hid documents after federal prosecutors investigating his handling of classified documents have obtained confidential cooperation from a person who has worked for him at Mar-a-Lago, according to multiple sources.

The investigation is being overseen by Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to develop a complete understanding of how the documents Mr. Trump took with him from the White House were stored, who had access to them, how the security camera system at Mar-a-Lago works and what Mr. Trump told aides and his lawyers about the whereabouts of the material.

An insider witness, whose identity has not been disclosed, has provided investigators with a picture of the storage room where the sensitive documents were being held. Prosecutors hope to learn more about the movement of the boxes by issuing several subpoenas to Mr. Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, seeking additional surveillance footage from Mar-a-Lago, his residence and private club in Florida.

At the heart of the inquiry is whether Mr. Trump sought to hide some documents after the Justice Department issued a subpoena last May demanding their return. Federal prosecutors are trying to fill in some gaps in their knowledge about the movement of the boxes, created in part by their handling of another potentially key witness, Mr. Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta. Prosecutors believe Mr. Nauta has failed to provide them with a full and accurate account of his role in any movement of boxes containing the classified documents.

The Investigation Is Closing In On Donald J. Trump

The investigation into Mr. Trump’s handling of government documents has been ongoing for months, seeking information not just about his habits after leaving the White House but also about his practices as president. Although Mr. Trump turned over 15 boxes of material he had taken from the White House to the archives in January 2022, those boxes turned out to contain reams of classified material, prompting a Justice Department investigation and a subpoena in May of last year demanding the return of any further documents in Mr. Trump’s possession.

Prosecutors working under Mr. Smith have developed what multiple people familiar with the investigation say is a wealth of testimony and evidence about Mr. Trump’s behavior during the lengthy period when the National Archives and the Justice Department sought to retrieve presidential materials from the former president.

The investigation has returned repeatedly in recent weeks to a crucial question: Did Mr. Trump instruct Mr. Nauta or anyone else to move boxes out of the storage room before the lawyers conducted the “diligent search” of Mar-a-Lago and said no classified records remained at the property?

Prosecutors are also examining Donald Trump’s involvement with a Saudi-backed professional golf venture known as LIV Golf, which is holding tournaments at some of Mr. Trump’s golf resorts. It is unclear what bearing Mr. Trump’s relationship with LIV Golf has on the broader investigation, but it suggests that the prosecutors are examining certain elements of Mr. Trump’s family business.

Mr. Trump’s Response

A spokesperson for Mr. Trump called the case “a targeted, politically motivated witch hunt” that is “concocted to meddle in an election and prevent the American people from returning him to the White House.” The spokesperson accused Mr. Smith’s office of harassing “anyone who has worked for President Trump” and of now using the inquiry to target Mr. Trump’s business.

Conclusion

The Justice Department is escalating its investigation into Donald J. Trump’s handling of classified documents, subpoenaing more people, penetrating the inner workings of his Mar-a-Lago club, and seeking additional surveillance footage from his golf resorts. By working closely with insiders and casting a wider net of subpoenas, prosecutors hope to gain a better understanding of where Mr. Trump’s documents are being kept and why they were removed from the White House. The investigation is a vital sign of American democracy at work, protecting the rule of law, and ensuring that no one is above the law.