In a stunning development, one of the key advisers on Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign has been revealed to be implicated in special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment against the former president. The indictment accuses Trump of mishandling classified documents after his departure from the White House and obstructing the government’s attempts to recover them. Sources familiar with the matter have disclosed to ABC News that Susie Wiles, a trusted and influential figure in Trump’s inner circle, is the individual referred to as the “PAC Representative” in Smith’s indictment.
According to sources from ABC News, Trump allegedly showed Wiles a classified map of an undisclosed country in August or September of 2021. During their discussion, Trump is said to have revealed that a military operation was not going well, cautioning Wiles against sharing the map and advising her to keep her distance from it. These revelations shed light on the alleged disclosure of classified information during private meetings by Trump after his tenure as president.
The Trump campaign has vehemently denounced the indictment, accusing Jack Smith and the special counsel’s investigation of engaging in election interference and meddling. A spokesperson for the campaign claimed that the investigation was a political ploy orchestrated by Joe Biden and the Department of Justice to inflict maximum damage on Trump’s chances of reclaiming the White House. Both the Justice Department and the White House have denied any political interference in the special counsel’s probe.
This latest incident involving Wiles marks the second instance detailed by prosecutors in the indictment, highlighting Trump’s alleged divulgence of classified information post-presidency. Earlier this week, ABC News obtained an audio recording from July 2021 in which Trump can be heard presenting what he describes as a “secret” and “highly confidential” document related to Iran. The meeting reportedly involved individuals assisting Trump’s former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, with his memoir.
While it appears that Trump has not been specifically charged for his retention of the Iran document or the classified map shared with Wiles, these instances provide insights into the prosecution’s perspective on Trump’s handling of classified materials and his alleged attempts to impede the government’s retrieval efforts.
