Trump Aide Walt Nauta Also Indicted in Classified Documents Case

An aide to former president Donald Trump, Walt Nauta, was indicted alongside him in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into the mishandling of classified documents, a source familiar with the matter told The Messenger.

Nauta and Trump were charged in the same indictment that was returned by a grand jury in the Southern District of Florida Thursday, the source added.

Trump was charged in a seven count indictment including charges of conspiracy to obstruct, willful retention of documents and false statements, his attorney, Jim Trusty, said on cable television Thursday night.

After Trump’s indictment Thursday, The Messenger exclusively reported a second person was expected to be charged in the case. The indictments are the first by Smith, who was appointed to oversee the investigation by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

The former president declared himself innocent of the charges in a post on his social media platform after he was informed in a summons that he would face charges.

It’s unclear what counts Nauta will be charged with.

In a post on his Truth Social network, Trump said Nauta was "a member of the U.S. Navy, who served proudly with me in the White House, retired as Senior Chief, and then transitioned into private life as a personal aide."

He said the Justice Department is "trying to destroy his life" and criticized the charges.

Nauta, a Navy veteran, first served Trump as an Oval Office valet, the Washington Post reported in October 2022.

Nauta reportedly told investigators that, while working at Mar-a-Lago, he moved boxes at Trump's request at a time when the government was seeking classified documents.

Nauta's account was reportedly corroborated by surveillance camera footage from Mar-a-Lago.

The Guam-born Nauta first came to the White House during President Obama's second term, working in the West Wing mess, according to the Post.

Shortly after Trump took office, he rose to become one of the president's personal valets, delivering Diet Coke to the Resolute desk upon request.

He also tidied up the Oval Office and fetched Trump's coat as needed, an anonymous former White House staffer told the Post.