According to undisclosed sources familiar with the investigation, Special Counsel Jack Smith, who led the indictments against former President Donald Trump concerning the mishandling of classified documents, is now issuing a warning of potential perjury charges against an employee of the Trump Organization. The sources informed ABC News that Smith sent a target letter to the staff member, alleging that they provided false information to investigators during their appearance before a federal grand jury in May, which was examining evidence related to the Trump case.
The target letter, whose content was not obtained or reviewed by ABC, reportedly indicates Smith’s interest in the Trump Organization’s handling of surveillance footage, as well as alleged attempts to impede the sharing of this information with investigators. Prior to Trump’s indictment on 37 counts associated with the documents stored at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Smith had sent a similar target letter to the former president, notifying him of the possibility of an indictment.
When ABC News reached out to Smith’s office for comment, they declined to provide any information. Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has requested that his trial be postponed until after the 2024 election.
On Thursday, ABC News contacted the employee in question, who refused to answer inquiries regarding the target letter or their interactions with investigators, stating that it was not their concern. Attorney Stanley Woodward, who has represented the employee as well as other Trump advisers, also refrained from commenting.
ABC News reported that Smith’s investigators are also investigating the employee’s conversations with other individuals working for the Trump Organization. This includes Walt Nauta, a Trump aide and valet who was indicted in June and has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Trump Organization asserts that no surveillance footage was deleted or destroyed. The government, however, reportedly does not claim that the footage was destroyed but is instead focusing on potential attempts to obstruct the Trump investigation.
