Trump’s Response to Meeting with DOJ: On Thursday morning, attorneys for former President Donald Trump met with members of special counsel Jack Smith’s staff, as an indictment of Trump looms.
Trump subsequently stated on Truth Social that “No indication of notice was given” during the meeting regarding an impending indictment. John Lauro and Todd Blanche, attorneys for President Trump, met with Smith’s team after receiving a target letter indicating that Trump is the subject of the special counsel’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
According to sources cited by ABC News, former President Donald Trump’s attorneys conferred with members of special counsel Jack Smith’s team on Thursday morning, as the former president’s indictment nears.
Trump’s Response to Meeting with DOJ
Trump subsequently stated on Truth Social that “No indication of notice was given” during the meeting regarding an impending indictment.
John Lauro and Todd Blanche, attorneys for President Trump, met with Smith’s team after receiving a target letter indicating that Trump is the subject of the special counsel’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump’s legal team argued against the indictment of their client. Smith was present at the conference, according to our sources.
The meeting lasted an hour before disbanding, according to ABC News. The former president was indicted on 37 criminal counts related to his management of sensitive data last month, making this his third indictment overall. The defendant has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
In April, Trump entered a not-guilty plea on 34 counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to pornographic film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump is the first incumbent or former president to be indicted in a hush-money case.
Trump verified the Thursday meeting through a post on Truth Social.
“My solicitors had a productive meeting with the Department of Justice (DOJ) this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an indictment of me would only further destroy our country,” he wrote.
ABC News’ sources indicate that the target letter Trump claims to have received on July 16 references three federal statutes: conspiracy to commit offence or defraud the United States, deprivation of rights under a civil rights statute, and tampering with a witness, victim, or informant.
Trump verified the letter’s authenticity in a post on Truth Social.
Attorney General Merrick Garland designated Smith in November to lead the investigation into Trump and his associates’ efforts to alter the results of the 2020 election and Trump’s handling of classified documents after he left office.
In June, Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 criminal counts related to his handling of classified materials after prosecutors alleged he routinely refused to return hundreds of documents containing classified information varying from nuclear secrets to the nation’s defence capabilities. Trump asserts that the investigations are politically motivated and denies any wrongdoing.
