Newly released photos in an unsealed indictment have shed light on the actions of former President Donald Trump. The pictures reveal that he stored White House documents in rather unconventional places throughout his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. The indictment, which marks the first federal indictment of a former U.S. president, accuses Trump of keeping classified materials in areas such as the bedroom, ballroom, and even next to a toilet in a bathroom.
Six images unveiled as part of the indictment depict cardboard boxes filled with classified documents positioned in various locations across Mar-a-Lago. Trump allegedly stored sensitive information in inappropriate areas, including a shower, bathroom, ballroom, and his own bedroom. The release of these photos coincided with Trump being charged with 37 counts related to the possession and mishandling of classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago.
Among the allegations, Trump is accused of unlawfully retaining files containing details about U.S. nuclear weapons programs, potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies, and plans for military retaliation. The indictment makes it clear that Mar-a-Lago was not an authorized place for the storage, review, or discussion of classified documents following Trump’s departure from the White House. Prosecutors emphasized that tens of thousands of members and guests visited the active social club at Mar-a-Lago for more than a year after Trump’s presidency ended.
According to the indictment, Trump disregarded these restrictions and stored boxes filled with classified materials in various locations within The Mar-a-Lago Club, including a ballroom, bathroom, shower, office space, bedroom, and storage room. One photo even shows boxes placed between a toilet and a shower in a bathroom. The BBC reported that these boxes were initially moved to the bathroom in April 2021. Subsequently, Trump ordered the cleaning of a storage room on the ground floor to accommodate his boxes, and they were moved there in June.
The indictment further revealed that at one point, more than 80 boxes were stored in the Florida residence’s storage room. One of Trump’s aides, identified as Walt Nauta, who is also implicated in the indictment, sent a picture of the boxes to a colleague, remarking, “I opened the door and found this.”
Significantly, Trump now faces 37 federal felony charges, including allegations of willfully retaining national defense information, conspiring to obstruct justice, concealing documents, and making false statements. These charges, brought forth by Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith, carry a potential prison sentence of up to 20 years each.