Donald Trump posted on Truth Social:
“I have just learned that the “Thugs” from the Department of Injustice will be Indicting a wonderful man, Walt Nauta, a member of the U.S. Navy, who served proudly with me in the White House, retired as Senior Chief, and then transitioned into private life as a personal aide. He has done a fantastic job! They are trying to destroy his life, like the lives of so many others, hoping that he will say bad things about “Trump.” He is strong, brave, and a Great Patriot. The FBI and DOJ are CORRUPT!”
In a significant development, Walter Nauta, a former aide and key witness to Donald Trump, has been indicted alongside the ex-president by Special Counsel Jack Smith. The news of Nauta’s indictment prompted an immediate response from Trump on his Truth Social platform, where he praised his former aide as “strong and brave” and suggested that Nauta will remain loyal to him.
Nauta, who served as Trump’s military valet and was involved in handling stored material at Mar-a-Lago, has been described as a pivotal figure in the ongoing investigation. Security footage reportedly captured Nauta moving boxes before and after the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a subpoena for documents held by Trump prior to the raid on Mar-a-Lago. Nauta’s lawyers have not provided any comments regarding the indictment at this time.
In response to the indictment, Trump criticized the DOJ, referring to them as “thugs” and appealing to Nauta’s loyalty and bravery. He expressed concerns that the DOJ is attempting to destroy Nauta’s life in the hopes that he will provide damaging information about Trump. Trump labeled the FBI and DOJ as “corrupt” in his social media post.
According to reports from the Wall Street Journal, prosecutors have been meticulously building a case that accuses Trump of deliberately withholding sensitive documents related to U.S. intelligence and defense plans, even after demands were made for their return. Nauta has been a central focus of the investigation, with surveillance footage capturing his involvement in moving boxes from a storage room before and after investigators issued a subpoena seeking the return of all government documents in Trump’s possession. Nauta claimed that he carried out these actions at Trump’s request.
Investigators have already interviewed Nauta on at least two occasions and sought further questioning to address what they believe are contradictory statements. However, Nauta has declined additional questioning due to concerns that prosecutors may be considering charges against him.
For months, prosecutors have been building a case alleging that Trump deliberately withheld sensitive documents related to U.S. intelligence and defense plans, even after prosecutors demanded the return of all such documents last year.
Nauta has long been a focus of that investigation, after he was seen on surveillance footage moving boxes from a storage room before and after investigators issued a May subpoena seeking the return of all government documents in Trump’s possession, The Wall Street Journal reported. Natua told investigators that he did so at Trump’s request.
Investigators spoke with Nauta at least twice and asked him to submit to further questioning, in part to clarify what prosecutors believed to be contradictory statements. He refused further questioning, the Journal reported, out of concerns about whether prosecutors are considering charges against him.
