Former President Donald Trump took a quiet trip to Mar-a-Lago in July 2022, just before the FBI searched the lavish residence. News of this ‘secret’ trip surfaced on Monday, June 24, as ABC News reported that special counsel Jack Smith’s team suspected Trump of moving top-secret government documents.
The trip hints at Trump’s additional effort to obstruct the investigation after he received a subpoena to return the classified documents. Sources claim that Trump was “checking on the boxes” during the trip before the FBI team arrived. Aides allegedly kept quiet about the unusual visit. Trump typically spends his summers at his Bedminster club in New Jersey.
Interestingly, at the time, the Mar-a-Lago estate was undergoing construction and repair work and was not fit for a stay when Trump arrived. When questioned by Smith’s team, they claimed that Trump visited to oversee the developments at the site. ABC News previously reported that the ex-president had changed the lock on his closet at the residence, which the FBI overlooked and did not check.
Investigators claimed that security camera footage showed Trump’s aides moving boxes from the resort’s storage to his residence. Additionally, property manager Carlos De Oliveira was investigated for allegedly attempting to delete security camera footage. Addressing this, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung stated, “The entire documents case was a political sham from the very beginning and it should be thrown out entirely.”
Meanwhile, a witness told the special counsel, “They were keeping this one quiet…nobody knew about this trip.” William Nauta, the former President’s bodyman and valet, had texted a Trump employee, “I’m pretty sure [Trump] wants minimal people around on Monday,” before the Mar-a-Lago visit. Trump was indicted by Smith in 2023 for unlawfully keeping classified documents about a foreign nation’s nuclear weapons.
The documents, according to Raw Story, contained sensitive information that could lead to disaster if they landed in the wrong hands. De Oliveira was implicated during the indictment on Trump as he had received a text from Nauta that read, “Coming down to FL soon,” with a shushing emoji hinting at keeping their arrival a secret.
De Oliveira had previously stated he had no knowledge of Trump’s arrival in Florida. However, the special counsel presented evidence that contradicted his claims. The 56-year-old was eventually charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice, lying to the FBI, and destroying evidence, as reported by Politico. De Oliveira, a Portuguese immigrant, had worked at Mar-a-Lago for more than a decade and became the property manager in 2022 after holding various positions.
The revelations about Trump’s covert trip and subsequent actions have added another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation, raising questions about the former President’s intent and the lengths to which he might go to protect sensitive information.