Former US President Donald Trump has also kept highly confidential secret documents about China and Iran in his private home. At least one of the documents seized by the FBI in August at the luxury Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida relates to Iran’s missile program, the Washington Post reported Friday, citing informed circles.
Other documents are said to describe “highly confidential intelligence” about China. The documents also provide insight into intelligence methods that the United States wants to keep secret from the rest of the world.
Trump on suspicion of espionage
An FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago over the summer seized about 11,000 documents, many classified as “top secret.” The US Department of Justice has accused him of having to give the files to the National Archives after the end of his presidency instead of taking them to Mar-a-Lago. In principle, outgoing US presidents must hand over all official documents to the National Archives. He could be prosecuted for violating the Espionage Act.
Capitol Storm: Trump has been subpoenaed
Trump also suffered defeat on another front: as announced, the Commission of Inquiry into the attack on the US Capitol called ex-President Donald Trump to account. According to the letter published Friday, he must hand over the requested documents by November 4 at the latest and be available for a multi-day interrogation under oath from November 14. It is not yet clear whether Trump will comply with the subpoena or act against it.
The committee is running out of time
The House of Representatives committee decided last week to subpoena Trump. The subpoena could remain a symbolic step. There is a process to bring defaulting witnesses to court for contempt of Congress. But the committee is running out of time.
A new House of Representatives will be elected in November. The committee should finish its work by the end of the year – before the newly elected House of Representatives begins work in January. And polls say the Republican Party, which is largely pro-Trump, is likely to win a majority in the election. Then further investigation into the attack should be off the table. If Trump does not obey the subpoena, the House of Representatives could report him to the Justice Department for contempt of Congress.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
