The full extent of the case against the former president for improper handling of classified documents is becoming apparent following the unsealing of Donald Trump's indictment on federal charges. Mr. Trump is accused on 37 counts of unlawful possession of classified information, obstructing the course of justice, hiding records, and lying to law enforcement. Penalties for each of those counts range from sizeable fines to the potential for years in prison.
Here are some of the indictment's key revelations and some justifications for why they might be detrimental.
The list of the types of documents Mr. Trump is alleged to have had at Mar-a-Lago is arguably the most dramatic part of the indictment. They cover the specifics of the US nuclear weapons programs, the vulnerability of the US and its allies, and the US's plans for military retaliation. The indictment issues a dire warning, stating that "disclosure of these classified documents could put at risk the national security of the United States, foreign relations, the safety of United States military and Human sources, and the continued viability of sensitive intelligence collection methods.".
That's a crucial claim to make because in order to prove that Mr. Trump broke the Espionage Act, prosecutors will need to show that he had improper access to sensitive national defense information. The specifics of the documents might also be detrimental to Mr. Trump's reputation. As soon as word of the indictment first surfaced on Thursday, Republicans—including some of Mr. Trump's rivals for the presidency—rushed to his defense. It might be more challenging for them to defend Mr. Trump's retention of such sensitive national security after leaving the White House, even though they may still disagree with what they see as a political prosecution.
We'll update this story.
