Yesterday, Special Counsel Jack Smith announced a significant development in the classified-documents case involving Donald Trump and his aide Waltine Nauta. In federal court in Florida, a superseding indictment was obtained, introducing a new defendant named Carlos de Oliveira, who works as a property manager at Mar-a-Lago. The indictment also includes two additional obstruction-of-justice counts, accusing the defendants of attempting to tamper with evidence by altering or destroying surveillance-video footage at Mar-a-Lago during the summer of 2022. These charges are linked to allegations that Trump, Nauta, and de Oliveira conspired to delete footage while the FBI was seeking the return of classified documents that Trump had taken from the White House. The FBI ultimately executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago on August 8.
Furthermore, the superseding indictment involves a new count under the Espionage Act, claiming that Trump displayed and shared a top-secret document titled “presentation concerning military activity in a foreign country” without proper security clearances at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey. De Oliveira is also charged with repeatedly lying to the FBI about his knowledge of the boxes stored and moved within Mar-a-Lago. These latest developments in the case continue to worsen the situation for Trump.
To recap, the initial indictment stated that in May 2022, Nauta, under Trump’s direction, removed 64 boxes of documents from a storage room at Mar-a-Lago. According to the indictment, Nauta continued to remove 11 more boxes on June 1. The indictment included several photographs depicting stacks of disorganized boxes, with one picture showing what appears to be a copy machine nearby. The new obstruction charges are related to the storage room and nearby security cameras, which could have captured individuals moving the boxes after Trump’s lawyers assured the FBI on June 3 that Trump had returned all items under his possession.
The superseding indictment alleges that shortly after learning from his lawyer on June 22 that a grand-jury subpoena was expected for the production of surveillance records and videos, including those from the ground floor basement of Mar-a-Lago, Trump orchestrated a failed attempt to destroy the surveillance footage. On June 23, Trump spoke to de Oliveira for 24 minutes after which Nauta was informed that Trump wanted to see him. In a matter of hours, Nauta changed his plans and headed to Mar-a-Lago instead of Illinois. On June 25, Nauta and de Oliveira entered the basement and observed the surveillance cameras. Later, de Oliveira walked with an IT director from the club to discuss deleting the server as per “the boss’s” request, to which the IT director refused. The indictment also reveals a phone call between Trump and de Oliveira, as well as Nauta contacting another employee to ensure de Oliveira’s safety amid the investigation. Trump called de Oliveira to offer legal assistance.
There are several crucial points to highlight in this narrative that are detrimental to Trump. The attempt to erase video footage occurred in direct response to a grand-jury subpoena, leaving no room for a noncriminal explanation. Trump’s undeniable involvement in the effort to destroy potentially incriminating evidence in the face of a federal grand jury’s interest strengthens the government’s case that his actions were deliberate and intentional. Additionally, the new Espionage Act charge disproves Trump’s claim that no document was involved in an audio recording where he discussed military plans with individuals lacking security clearances. The superseding indictment is supported by extensive corroborating evidence, including surveillance footage, employee testimonies, and a collection of text messages and phone records involving key figures, including Trump himself.
The Mar-a-Lago case is one of two criminal trials that Trump is currently facing, in addition to the Manhattan district attorney’s charges related to alleged financial misconduct. There are potentially two more trials on the horizon, including one stemming from Trump’s involvement in the violent attempt to disrupt the 2021 presidential transition and another from Fulton County, Georgia, involving his recorded efforts to manipulate vote counts in his favor. These cases pose a unique challenge for prosecutors considering Trump’s status as a former U.S. president and potential 2024 Republican nominee. Acquittal requires unanimously convincing a jury in Manhattan or federal court, meaning Trump’s legal team only needs to secure the loyalty of a single juror to avoid conviction.
Therefore, the compelling narrative underlying the new obstruction charges takes on significant importance. It resembles the hero’s journey archetype found in mythology and literature, popularized by Joseph Campbell, and often utilized in blockbuster movies such as The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. In this narrative, Employee 4 emerges as the hero who resists Trump’s villainous demands and bravely comes forward with the truth, knowing the risks involved. Prosecutors and law enforcement officials involved in the case have faced substantial threats and harassment, both online and in person. Trump recently referred to Jack Smith as “deranged.” Let us hope that the outcome of this story favors justice and truth.
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