Trump employees moved boxes of papers to Mar-a-Lago a day before officials demanded documents: reports

Two of former President Donald Trump’s employees moved boxes of papers a day before federal officials went to Trump’s home and private club in Mar-a-Lago to collect classified documents, according to multiple reports.

The worker, who has not been publicly identified, saw Walt Nauta, Trump’s White House valet, move boxes into a storage room, The New York Times reported, citing an unidentified source. The worker ended up helping Nauta move some of the boxes, but he didn’t know what was inside.

The maintenance worker informed federal prosecutors of the moment, according to the Times.

This reportedly came before Justice Department lead counsel Jay Bratt traveled to Mar-a-Lago with federal agents in June 2022. FBI agents obtained a court order to search Mar-a -Lago months later also in a high profile incident.

Trump and his aides also had a “dress rehearsal” to move sensitive documents before his office received a subpoena last May, The Washington Post reported, citing several unidentified people familiar with the matter.

Prosecutors are also investigating whether Trump kept classified documents in his office and sometimes showed them to others, according to the Post.

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The reports come as Trump’s attorneys seek to meet with Attorney General Merrick Garland about the Justice Department’s investigation into classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago. This is often a sign that an indictment is coming soon.

The inquest’s grand jury has not met since May 5, its longest break since December, according to the Washington Post. The hiatus came after Garland appointed Jack Smith to oversee the Trump investigation.

Smith is investigating whether the former president mishandled classified documents and obstructed justice by defying a subpoena to return documents he took from the White House.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.

His spokesperson, Steven Cheung, told USA TODAY in a statement, “This is nothing more than a targeted and politically motivated witch hunt against President Trump that is concocted to meddle in an election and prevent the American people from sending him back to the White House.” accusing the Justice Department of harassing “anyone and everyone who works, has worked, or supports President Trump.”

Contributors: David Jackson and Bart Jansen, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump employees at Mar-a-Lago allegedly moved documents day before FBI visit

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