Donald Trump’s personal assistant on Thursday pleaded not guilty to new federal charges brought over the former US president’s alleged hoarding of national security secrets.
The government accuses Trump of mishandling dozens of classified documents he took from the White House as he left office, including blueprints on military and nuclear programs, and plotting with his staff to hide them from investigators.
Walt Nauta, Trump’s longtime so-called “body man,” is accused of moving boxes at the Republican ex-leader’s Mar-a-Lago club in south Florida to conceal documents that had been demanded in a grand jury subpoena.
He appeared at a federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, 130 miles (210 kilometers) north of Miami, to deny two new obstruction counts added to several charges he was already facing for allegedly attempting to stymie the investigation.
Trump, who is running for reelection, was also facing new charges — including two for obstruction of justice — but wasn’t required to appear and signaled last week that he would be pleading not guilty.
Carlos de Oliveira, the property manager at Mar-a-Lago, is accused of helping Nauta move some of the boxes.
Prosecutors say the pair asked an employee if they could delete security footage, and later lied to investigators about their involvement.
De Oliveira appeared alongside Nauta but his plea on four counts — including conspiracy to obstruct justice and making a false statement — was postponed because he doesn’t have a Florida lawyer yet.
Trump, who denies all wrongdoing, has now been charged with 40 felony counts in the case, mostly for alleged breaches of the Espionage Act. A trial has been set for May next year, although this will likely be pushed back.
He is facing prosecution in multiple jurisdictions over a variety of alleged criminal wrongdoing as he bids to be the Republican Party’s candidate for the 2024 presidential election.
