According to a report by Newsweek on Friday March 8, 2024, former President Donald Trump is facing a serious legal challenge in Florida, where he is accused of hiding and obstructing the return of classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The chief prosecutor in the case, Jack Smith, has revealed that witnesses have been threatened by Trump supporters and has requested the court to protect their identities.
The case stems from Trump’s departure from the White House in January 2021, when he allegedly took with him sensitive materials that belonged to the federal government.
According to Smith, Trump and two of his staff members concealed the documents in his Palm Beach resort and refused to cooperate with the authorities who tried to retrieve them.
Trump is facing 40 federal charges, including theft of government property, obstruction of justice, and endangering national security.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has claimed that the case is politically motivated.
Smith has told the court that he fears for the safety of the witnesses who may testify against Trump, as they have already received threats from his loyalists.
He has asked Judge Aileen Cannon to allow him to use “red box” codes in the court filings to avoid revealing the names or job titles of the witnesses, especially the FBI agents who executed the search warrants on Trump and his staff.
Smith has argued that the redactions are minimal and necessary to protect the witnesses from a potential hate campaign by Trump supporters.
He has also cited the threats made in other cases involving Trump, such as the one where he is accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election results and the one where he is facing a civil fraud trial in New York.
Newsweek reached out to Trump’s attorney via email for comment on Friday, but did not receive a response.
The case is expected to go to trial later this year and could have serious implications for Trump’s political future and legacy.
If convicted, he could face prison time and fines, as well as the loss of his presidential privileges and benefits.
