Donald Trump allegedly told Walt Nauta, one of his co-defendants in the classified documents case that he will receive a pardon in 2024 even if he lied to the FBI, according to newly unsealed court documents.
The bombshell revelation was made in a court filing by Special Counsel Jack Smith who led the investigation into Trump’s mishandling of classified documents after he left the White House.
In an interview with the FBI, the witness—only identified as ‘Person 16’ who worked in the Trump White House—said Nauta was promised a pardon from Trump if he lied to the FBI.
“NAUTA was told by FPOTUS’ people that his investigation was not going anywhere, that it was politically motivated and ‘much ado about nothing,'” ‘Person 16’ told the FBI.
“NAUTA was also told that if even if he gets charged with lying to the FBI, FPOTUS will pardon him in 2024,” the witness said.
Nauta is Trump’s valet and a former White House aide who was indicted along with the ex-president in Smith’s classified documents probe.
He was charged with six counts including conspiracy to obstruct justice and concealing records. Five of those counts named Trump as a co-defendant.
Nauta was also charged with lying to FBI during in May 2022. Prosecutors say Nauta lied about what he knew about boxes of classified material that had been taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago when Trump left office.
Like Trump, Nauta has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
