An unsealed indictment has revealed that former President Donald Trump is facing 37 felony charges related to the mishandling of classified documents. The indictment alleges that Trump not only improperly shared sensitive material but also took steps to hide records and obstruct investigators. This latest development marks a significant escalation in the legal troubles faced by the former president.
Here is a complete timeline of events in the Donald Trump classified documents case
May 6, 2021: The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) sends a letter to Trump’s White House counsel, Pat Cipollone, asking for records from Trump’s time in office.
Summer 2021: Trump displays letters from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at a press conference. The letters are classified and should have been returned to NARA.
January 17, 2022: Trump turns over 15 boxes of records to NARA.
February 25, 2022: NARA determines that 14 of the boxes contain classified information.
March 30, 2022: The FBI opens a criminal investigation into Trump’s handling of classified information.
April 12, 2022: NARA tells Trump that it is cooperating with the FBI investigation and that it may need to search his properties.
April 26, 2022: A grand jury in Washington, D.C., is impaneled to investigate Trump’s handling of classified information.
June 8, 2022: FBI agents search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
August 8, 2022: The Justice Department unseals an indictment charging Trump with 17 felony counts of mishandling classified information.
August 12, 2022: A federal judge orders Trump to turn over all remaining classified documents in his possession.
September 1, 2022: Trump files a motion to dismiss the indictment, arguing that the charges are politically motivated.
November 15, 2022: A federal judge denies Trump’s motion to dismiss the indictment.
December 1, 2022: Trump’s lawyers file a notice of appeal of the judge’s ruling.
March 8, 2023: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit hears oral arguments in Trump’s appeal.
June 8, 2023: The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals upholds the lower court’s ruling, denying Trump’s motion to dismiss the indictment.
June 13, 2023: Trump’s lawyers file a petition for a writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the nation eagerly awaits the resolution of these charges and the potential implications for the security and integrity of classified information.