Former President Donald Trump and his close aide, Walt Nauta, have rejected the latest allegation in the federal classified documents case by pleading not guilty.
The new charges revolve around allegations that the two men, along with a third aide, conspired to hide surveillance footage at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort from FBI scrutiny.
The development adds to the legal challenges that the 77-year-old former president is facing as he embarks on his third White House bid. Special Counsel Jack Smith, overseeing the case, has also been involved in a separate indictment against Donald Trump, linked to his alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
In a recent recommendation to a federal court in Washington DC, Smith's office proposed a trial date of 2 January 2024 for Trump in the election case.
Earlier, Trump had been charged with 37 counts for retaining confidential files, including sensitive information about US nuclear secrets and military strategies, and for providing false statements during investigations.
Nauta, who transitioned from being a military valet to a personal aide in the Trump White House, is now facing additional obstruction charges in the new indictment. Carlos de Oliveira, the Mar-a-Lago property manager, has also been implicated in alleged efforts to hinder the investigation. The indictment claims that at Trump's request, Nauta and de Oliveira attempted to erase security footage outside the storage room holding the documents.
With the inclusion of these new charges, Trump's total charges in the case have escalated to 40. Notably, Trump and Nauta had earlier pleaded not guilty to prior charges.
Meanwhile, Trump's legal troubles are far from over. He also awaits trial on 34 felony counts in a hush-money case in New York, apart from facing a defamation lawsuit from writer E Jean Carroll. Adding to the list, Georgia prosecutors are gearing up to bring state charges over alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Despite the mounting legal battles, Trump continues to maintain his popularity among Republican voters and remains a frontrunner for the party's presidential nomination in the upcoming elections.
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