Washington (EFE).- The United States Department of Justice notified former Republican President Donald Trump (2017-2021) that he is being investigated for having kept classified documents after leaving the White House, US media reported.
The letter, received by his legal team, represents a new advance in the investigation, led by special counsel Jack Smith, into Trump’s handling of hundreds of classified documents found by the FBI in his mansion in Florida.
The Department of Justice instructs prosecutors to send a letter to those who are likely to be charged. Giving them the opportunity to testify before charges are filed, explained the Politico portal.
The investigations into Donald Trump
Smith’s investigation also looks into Trump’s possible responsibility for the assault on the Capitol. He has called several figures close to the former president to testify in recent months.
Among them was his chief of staff, Mark Meadows, who gave his testimony before prosecutor Smith on Tuesday.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Smith’s appointment on Nov. 18. As a special prosecutor to investigate Trump for the 2021 assault on the Capitol. And for the classified documents found in Mar-a-Lago, his mansion in Florida.
In the United States, the attorney general has the authority to appoint a special prosecutor for especially controversial cases. In which it is sought to preserve the independence of the investigation, avoiding any conflict of interest.
Since Trump has already announced his intention to run in the 2024 presidential election, in which Biden will run for re-election, Garland considered that an independent figure was necessary to investigate the former president.