Trump’s Valet Promised Pardon Even If He Lied To FBI In Classified Docs Case, Witness Claims
Walt Nauta, one of former President Donald Trump’s co-defendants in his classified documents case, was allegedly told he would receive a pardon even if he was charged with lying to the FBI, according to newly unsealed court documents.
The detail was revealed Monday in a redacted interview conducted with a witness in the federal case centered on Trump’s handling of classified files after he left the White House. Trump, Nauta and a third defendant, Carlos De Oliveira, have been charged with dozens of federal crimes in Florida, where the former president kept boxes of documents at his Mar-a-Lago club.
In an interview with the FBI, the witness — only identified as “Person 16” and someone who worked in the Trump White House — told investigators Nauta had been promised a pardon if the former president was reelected in November.
“NAUTA was told by FPOTUS’ people that his investigation was not going anywhere, that it was politically motivated and ‘much ado about nothing,’” a summary of the interview reads, using an acronym for “former president of the United States.”
“NAUTA was also told that even if he gets charged with lying to the FBI, FPOTUS will pardon him in 2024.”
NEW: Trump valet Walt Nauta was allegedly told “if even if he gets charged with lying to the FBI, FPOTUS will pardon him in 2024” — per cooperating witness Person 16
Nauta is now a co-defendant in the Trump classified docs case, charged with obstructionhttps://t.co/EZoHEanEDBpic.twitter.com/KQnh7hWWWQ— Hugo Lowell (@hugolowell) April 22, 2024
Nauta, who served as Trump’s valet, has since been charged with lying to the FBI and obstructing special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation. Like Trump, Nauta has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The newly unsealed interview also includes a statement from Person 16 that they were not aware of any standing order for documents taken from the White House to be automatically declassified, as Trump has claimed. The witness added the first time they heard of the assertion was in the media in 2022, long after Trump left the White House.
The witness also recounted telling Trump to return all of the material he had when the National Archives came to collect it.
“Whatever you have,” the witness recalled, “give it all back.”
“Don’t give them a noble reason to indict you, because they will,” Person 16 also recounted to the FBI.
