Trump is being charged with Espionage Act violations, conspiracy, obstruction, lawyer says


A federal grand jury in Miami indicted former President Donald Trump on Thursday, Trump and his lawyers announced, handing up seven charges related to Trump's retention of classified documents after leaving office and alleged efforts to hinder their return to the National Archives. "The indictment carries unmistakably grave legal consequences, including the possibility of prison if Trump's convicted," The Associated Press reported.
Trump proclaimed his innocence on social media. "I am innocent," he said in a video. "We will prove that very, very soundly and hopefully very quickly." He began fundraising off the indictment within minutes of announcing it.
The indictment itself is under seal, and it may not be released publicly before Trump's arraignment in Miami on Tuesday. But the Justice Department sent a summons with a summary of the charges to Trump's legal team on Thursday afternoon, Trump lawyer James Trusty told CNN Thursday night. He said the charges include conspiracy to obstruct justice, false statements, obstruction, unauthorized retention of national security documents and other Espionage Act violations.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The charge of unauthorized retention of national security documents, part of the alleged Espionage Act violations, theoretically could subject Trump "to 10 years in prison for each count, although defendants in other Espionage Act cases have received significantly less than the maximum," The New York Times reported. Although Trump "has claimed — without evidence — that he declassified all the files he took to Mar-a-Lago, prosecutors would not technically need to prove that they were still classified because the Espionage Act predates the classification system and does not refer to it as an element."
The conspiracy counts would require special counsel Jack Smith's team to charge at least one other person with helping Trump agree to and act toward committing a specific crime, the Times explained. It's not clear who that second defendant would be. The obstruction charges, tied to Trump's efforts to allegedly rebuff the subpoena for the classified files, carry a penalty of up to 20 years per offense.
"Since Smith has been using grand juries in Florida and Washington, D.C., in recent days, it's unclear whether the indictment Trump disclosed Thursday is the only set of charges he will face from the special prosecutor in connection with the classified documents probe," Politico reported.
"Trump is frustrated not just with the indictment but with people in his inner circle who reassured him for months that it was very unlikely to happen," CBS News reported. Trump advisers, on the other hand, told The Washington Post that "Trump's team so expected his indictment that they already had fundraising pitches, statements and videos ready."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
October 13 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Monday's political cartoons include Donald Trump's consolation prize, government workers during shutdown, and more
-
Can Gaza momentum help end the war in Ukraine?
Today's Big Question Zelenskyy’s request for long-range Tomahawk missiles hints at ‘warming relations’ between Ukraine and US
-
The Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners being released
The Explainer Triumphant Donald Trump addresses the Israeli parliament as families on both sides of the Gaza war reunite with their loved ones
-
Trump’s deportations are changing how we think about food
IN THE SPOTLIGHT The Department of Labor’s admission that immigration raids have affected America’s food supplies reopens a longstanding debate
-
Trump DOJ indicts New York AG Letitia James
Speed Read New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted as Trump’s Justice Department pursues charges against his political opponents
-
Judge blocks Trump’s Guard deployment in Chicago
Speed Read The president is temporarily blocked from federalizing the Illinois National Guard or deploying any Guard units in the state
-
Gaza peace deal: why did Trump succeed where Biden failed?
Today's Big Question As the first stage of a ceasefire begins, Trump’s unique ‘just-get-it-done’ attitude may have proven pivotal to negotiations
-
Trump urges jail for Illinois, Chicago leaders
Speed Read The Texas National Guard begin operations in the Chicago area
-
The party bringing Trump-style populism to Japan
Under The Radar Far-right party is ‘shattering’ the belief that Japan is ‘immune’ to populism’
-
Bondi stonewalls on Epstein, Comey in Senate face-off
Speed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi denied charges of using the Justice Department in service of Trump’s personal vendettas
-
Can Trump bully Netanyahu into Gaza peace?
Today's Big Question The Israeli leader was ‘strong-armed’ into new peace deal