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{{short description|American aide to Donald Trump}}
{{Short description|American political aide (born 1982/83)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Use US English|date=June 2023}}
{{Use US English|date=June 2023}}
{{under construction}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Walt Nauta<!-- defaults to article title when left blank -->
| name = Walt Nauta<!-- defaults to article title when left blank -->
| image = Waltine Torre Nauta.jpg
| image = Walt Nauta as Congressional delegates visit Afghanistan DVIDS131996 (cropped).jpg
| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| alt = <!-- descriptive text for use by speech synthesis (text-to-speech) software -->
| caption =
| caption = Nauta in the [[U.S. Navy]], 2008
| birth_name = Waltine Torre Nauta<ref name=cbs/>
| birth_name = Waltine Torre Nauta Jr.<ref name="NBCProfile" />
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date | 40 | 2023 | 03 | 18}}<ref name=helderman/>
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date | 40 | 2023 | 03 | 18}}<ref name="helderman" />
| birth_place = [[Hågat, Guam]]<ref name=helderman/>
| birth_place = [[Hågat, Guam|Hågat]], [[Guam]], U.S.<ref name="helderman" />
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) -->
| death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date) -->
| death_place =
| death_place =
| nationality = <!-- use only when necessary per [[WP:INFONAT]] -->
| nationality = <!-- use only when necessary per [[WP:INFONAT]] -->
| other_names =
| other_names =
| occupation = [[Valet]]
| occupation = [[Valet]] and [[body man]]
| years_active =
| years_active =
| known_for = Being [[federal prosecution of Donald Trump|indicted along with Donald Trump on federal charges]]
| known_for = [[Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (classified documents case)|Indictment with Donald Trump on federal charges]]
| notable_works =
| notable_works =
| module = {{Infobox military person
| embed = yes
| branch = [[United States Navy]]
| serviceyears = 2001–21
| rank = [[Senior Chief Petty Officer]]
}}
}}
}}
[[File:United States of America v. Donald J. Trump and Waltine Nauta.pdf|thumb|339x339px|United States of America v. Donald J. Trump and Waltine Nauta]]

'''Waltine Torre Nauta''' (born {{birth based on age as of date | 40 | 2023 | 03 | 18|noage=1}}<ref name=helderman/>) is an American aide to former president [[Donald Trump]]. He was Trump's [[valet]] at the [[White House]], and continued to work for Trump at his [[Mar-a-Lago]] club and residence after Trump's term ended. In June 2023, [[Federal prosecution of Donald Trump|Trump and Nauta were indicted by a federal grand jury]]; Nauta was charged with six counts of [[federal crimes]].<ref name=Indictment>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-09 |title=United States of America v. Donald J. Trump and Waltine Nauta |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_of_America_v._Donald_J._Trump_and_Waltine_Nauta.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=2023-06-09 |website=commons.wikimedia.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=CNNInd>Evan Perez, Sara Murray, Tierney Sneed and Jeremy Herb, [https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted/index.html Trump aide Walt Nauta indicted in classified documents case], CNN (June 9, 2023).</ref>
'''Waltine Torre Nauta Jr.'''<ref name="NBCProfile" /> (born {{birth based on age as of date | 40 | 2023 | 03 | 18|noage=1|mos=1}}<ref name="helderman" />) is an American valet and [[body man]] to former U.S. president [[Donald Trump]]. He is a defendant in a [[Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (government documents case)|criminal case over violations of the Espionage Act]] and related offenses. While a [[petty officer]] in the [[U.S. Navy]], he was Trump's [[List of personal aides to the president of the United States|valet]] at the [[White House]]. After Trump's term ended, Nauta continued to work for him at Trump's [[Mar-a-Lago]] club and residence.

In June 2023, Trump and Nauta were indicted by a [[federal grand jury]] in a [[Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (government documents case)|criminal case over violations of the Espionage Act]] and related offenses. Nauta was charged with six counts of [[federal crime]]s and pleaded [[Not guilty plea|not guilty]].<ref name="auto1">{{Cite web |last1=Gomez Licon |first1=Adriana |last2=Tucker |first2=Eric |date=2023-07-06 |title=Trump Valet Charged In Classified Documents Case Set Again For Arraignment |url=https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-classified-documents_n_64a6942ae4b0e87d65527bf0 |access-date=2023-07-06 |website=HuffPost |language=en}}</ref> On July 27, two new counts of obstruction were brought against Nauta.<ref name="superseding-cnbc3">{{Cite web |last1=Mangan |first1=Dan |last2=Breuninger |first2=Kevin |date=2023-07-27 |title=Trump hit with new charges in classified documents case, third defendant added |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/07/27/third-defendant-added-to-trump-classified-documents-case.html |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=CNBC |language=en}}</ref>

The original six charges against Nauta relate to allegations that he, acting at Trump's direction, moved boxes that included illegally retained [[classified information in the United States|classified documents]] and [[National security|national defense]]-related documents to Trump's residence, and then lied about it to federal investigators. He was indicted for [[Criminal conspiracy|conspiracy]] to [[Obstruction of justice|obstruct justice]], [[Tampering with evidence#Spoliation|withholding a document or record]], corruptly concealing a document or record, [[Obstructing an official proceeding|corruptly concealing a document in a federal investigation]], [[Cover-up|scheme to conceal]], and [[making false statements]] and representations. The charges are punishable by up to 90 years in prison if he is convicted.


==Early life==
==Early life==
Nauta was born in [[Hågat, Guam|Hågat]], [[Guam]], and grew up there with five siblings.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted-documents-b2356911.html|title=Who is Donald Trump's indicted 'body man' Walt Nauta?|date=June 14, 2023|newspaper=The Independent|author=Bevan Hurley|access-date=June 16, 2023|archive-date=June 14, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614193112/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted-documents-b2356911.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bailey |first1=Chelsea |title=Who is Walt Nauta, the aide charged alongside Donald Trump? |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/65862112 |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=[[BBC News]] |date=June 9, 2023 |archive-date=June 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613192123/https://www.bbc.com/news/65862112 |url-status=live }}</ref> He graduated from [[Southern High School (Guam)|Southern High School]] in nearby [[Sånta Rita-Sumai]].<ref name="helderman">{{cite news |last1=Helderman |first1=Rosalind S. |author-link1=Rosalind S. Helderman |first2=Michelle |last2=Ye Hee Lee |author-link2=Michelle Ye Hee Lee |first3=Josh |last3=Dawsey |author-link3=Josh Dawsey |first4=Shane |last4=Harris |author-link4=Shane Harris |first5=Ashley |last5=Parker |author-link5=Ashley Parker |first6=Devlin |last6=Barrett |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/03/18/walt-nauta-trump-mar-a-lago-documents-witness |date=March 18, 2023 |title=The aide who stayed: Walt Nauta, key witness in Trump documents case |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=March 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230330003241/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/03/18/walt-nauta-trump-mar-a-lago-documents-witness/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="Yahoo">{{cite news |last1=McLaughlin |first1=Kelly |title=Meet Waltine Nauta, Trump's 'Diet Coke valet' who's now his co-defendant on federal charges |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/meet-waltine-nauta-trumps-diet-194701360.html |access-date=June 15, 2023 |agency=Associated Press |publisher=Yahoo News |date=June 13, 2023 |archive-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609220852/https://finance.yahoo.com/news/meet-waltine-nauta-trumps-diet-194701360.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
Nauta grew up in [[Hågat, Guam]]. He graduated from [[Southern High School (Guam)|Southern High School]].<ref name=helderman>
{{cite news
|last1=Helderman
|first1=Rosalind S.
|author-link1=Rosalind S. Helderman
|first2=Michelle
|last2= Ye Hee Lee
|author-link2=Michelle Ye Hee Lee
|first3=Josh|last3=Dawsey
|author-link3=Josh Dawsey
|first4=Shane
|last4=Harris
|author-link4=Shane Harris
|first5=Ashley
|last5=Parker
|author-link5=Ashley Parker
|first6=Devlin
|last6= Barrett
|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/03/18/walt-nauta-trump-mar-a-lago-documents-witness
|date=2023-03-18
|title=The aide who stayed: Walt Nauta, key witness in Trump documents case
|publisher=The [[Washington Post]]
|accessdate=2023-06-09}}</ref>


==Career==
==Career==
Nauta enlisted in the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] in July 2001.<ref name=helderman/> He was a Navy cook (with the [[Naval rating|rating]] of [[Culinary specialist (United States Navy)|culinary specialist]]).<ref name=NBCProfile>Julia Ainsley, Garrett Haake, Adam Edelman and Kelly O'Donnell, [https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/latest-news-trump-indictment-florida-classified-documents-rcna88546 Trump aide Walt Nauta also indicted in classified documents case], NBC News (June 9, 2023).</ref> He joined the [[Presidential Food Service]], which is part of the [[White House Military Office]], in 2012.<ref name=NBCProfile/><ref name=cbs>
Nauta enlisted in the [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] in July 2001.<ref name="helderman" /> He was a cook, with the [[Naval rating|rating]] of [[Culinary specialist (United States Navy)|culinary specialist]].<ref name="NBCProfile">{{cite news |last1=Ainsley |first1=Julia |last2=Haake |first2=Garrett |last3=Edelman |first3=Adam |last4=O'Donnell |first4=Kelly |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/latest-news-trump-indictment-florida-classified-documents-rcna88546 |title=Trump aide Walt Nauta also indicted in classified documents case |work=NBC News |date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610032859/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/latest-news-trump-indictment-florida-classified-documents-rcna88546 |url-status=live }}</ref> Among his Navy postings were stints with a [[strike fighter]] squadron in California, and at a submarine base in Georgia.<ref name="WSJ">{{cite news |last1=Ballhaus |first1=Rebecca |title=Walt Nauta, Trump's Valet, Charged Alongside His Boss |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/walt-nauta-trumps-valet-charged-alongside-his-boss-e2150540 |access-date=June 15, 2023 |work=[[Wall Street Journal]] |date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20230610105254/https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/walt-nauta-trumps-valet-charged-alongside-his-boss-e2150540 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012, he was assigned to the [[Presidential Food Service]], which is run by the U.S. Navy and manages the White House Mess as part of the [[White House Military Office]].<ref name="NBCProfile" /><ref name="cbs">{{cite news |title=Who is Walt Nauta — and why was the Trump aide also indicted in the documents case? |date=June 9, 2023 |first1=Caitlin |last1=O'Kane |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-walt-nauta-trump-aide-indictment-documents-case |work=[[CBS News]] |language=en |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609232813/https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-walt-nauta-trump-aide-indictment-documents-case/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{cite news
|title=Who is Walt Nauta — and why was the Trump aide also indicted in the documents case?
|date=2023-06-09
|first=Caitlin
|last=O Kane
|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/who-is-walt-nauta-trump-aide-indictment-documents-case
|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref> During the [[presidency of Donald Trump]], Nauta became a personal valet to the president,<ref name=KeyWitness>{{cite web|last=Barrett |first=Devlin |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/13/walt-nauta-maralago-trump-documents/|title=Key Mar-a-Lago witness said to be former White House employee |publisher=The [[Washington Post]] |date= |accessdate=2023-06-09}}</ref> acting as his [[butler]],<ref name=NBCProfile/> [[body man]],<ref name=NBCProfile/> and [[gofer]].<ref name=KeyWitness/> He was promoted to [[senior chief petty officer]] in September 2020, a significant increase in rank.<ref name=KeyWitness/>


During the [[presidency of Donald Trump]], Nauta became a personal valet to the president.<ref name="KeyWitness">{{cite news |last=Barrett |first=Devlin |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/13/walt-nauta-maralago-trump-documents/ |title=Key Mar-a-Lago witness said to be former White House employee |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 13, 2022 |access-date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=March 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318231241/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2022/10/13/walt-nauta-maralago-trump-documents/ |url-status=live }}</ref> He was responsible for responding to the [[presidential call button]], including when the president requested [[Diet Coke]]s, which Nauta would bring to Trump on a silver platter.<ref name="Hurley">{{cite news |last1=Hurley |first1=Bevan |title=Who is Walt Nauta? Donald Trump's 'body man' charged over classified documents |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted-documents-b2356911.html |access-date=June 17, 2023 |work=The Independent |date=June 14, 2023 |archive-date=June 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230614193112/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted-documents-b2356911.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="WSJ" /> Nauta was promoted to [[senior chief petty officer]] in September 2020.<ref name="KeyWitness" />
When Trump left office in January 2021, Nauta went with him to [[Mar-a-Lago]]; he also was with Trump at [[Trump National Golf Club Bedminster|his club at Bedminster, New Jersey]].<ref name=CNNInd/> He frequently traveled with Trump at public appearances and campaign events.<ref name=NBCProfile/> He went on the payroll of the [[Save America PAC]] beginning in August 2021,<ref name=NBCProfile/> and his service in the Navy ended in September 2021.<ref name=KeyWitness/> He was also paid by [[Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign|Trump's 2024 presidential campaign]].<ref name=NBCProfile/>


When Trump's term of office ended in January 2021, Nauta accompanied him to [[Mar-a-Lago]], where he worked as Trump's [[butler]] and [[body man]].<ref name="NBCProfile" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Hartmann |first=Margaret |date=March 21, 2023 |title=Diet Coke Valet Is Trump's Most Loyal Aide |url=https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/03/walt-nauta-diet-coke-valet-trump-loyal-aide.html |access-date=June 10, 2023 |website=New York Magazine: "Intelligencer" |language=en-us |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610134805/https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2023/03/walt-nauta-diet-coke-valet-trump-loyal-aide.html |url-status=live }}</ref> He frequently traveled with Trump to public appearances and campaign events.<ref name="NBCProfile" /> By August 2021, Nauta was on the payroll of Trump's [[political action committee]], [[Save America]].<ref name="NBCProfile" /> Nauta's service in the Navy ended in September 2021.<ref name="KeyWitness" /> He was also paid by [[Donald Trump 2024 presidential campaign|Trump's 2024 presidential campaign]] beginning in November 2022.<ref name="NBCProfile" />
==Investigation and indictment==
Nauta became a witness in the [[FBI investigation into Donald Trump's handling of government documents]].<ref name=helderman/> According to the subsequent [[indictment]], in the waning days of Trump's term in office, both Trump and Nauta packed items from the White House to ship to Mar-a-Lago in [[Florida]].<ref name=NBCProfile/> The indictment alleges that, between November 2021 and January 2022, Nauta, acting under Trump's direction, moved boxes that included illegally retained [[classified information in the United States|classified documents]] from a storage room at [[Mar-a-Lago]] to Trump's residence.<ref name=Indictment/><ref name=CNNInd/>
[[File:Classified documents at Mar-a-Lago 867c328616652a2ce0727e8e90c9df1d.png|thumb|Storage room with document boxes at Mar-a-Lago]]
The indictment also alleges that, after a [[federal grand jury]] issued a [[subpoena]] in May 2022 requiring the return of the government documents, Nauta assisted Trump in concealing documents from the grand jury, the FBI, and Trump's own lawyers.<ref name=cbs/><Ref name=CoDefendants>Perry Stein, Spencer S. Hsu & Josh Dawsey, [https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/09/walt-nauta-indicted-trump-classified-documents/ Trump and his valet Walt Nauta: Forever linked as codefendants], ''Washington Post'' (June 9, 2023).</ref> It specifically alleges that Trump and Nauta misled a lawyer (referenced in the indictment as "Attorney 1," and identified as [[Evan Corcoran]]) who was working on gathering documents to comply with the subpoena.<Ref name=CoDefendants/> According to the indictment, between May 23, 2022 (when Trump met with his attorneys) and June 2, 2023 (when Corcoran told Trump he planned to search a storage room in Mar-a-Lago for documents sought by the subpoena), Nauta was seen on surveillance video removing 64 boxes from a storage room and delivering them to Trump's residence, then returning only 30 boxes to the room.<Ref name=CoDefendants/> The indictment states that Nauta lied to FBI investigators in May 2022, by falsely claiming he was not aware of boxes being brought to Trump's residence for his review.<ref name=Indictment/>


Nauta was accused of sexual harassment and [[revenge porn]] by several women in spring 2021, which led to him being reassigned and his security credentials being docked. This was several weeks before he left the Navy and became a personal employee of Trump.<ref name=accuse>{{cite web|url= https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2024/02/trump-hired-diet-coke-valet-despite-sexual-misconduct-claims.html|title= Trump Hired Diet Coke Valet Despite Sexual Misconduct Claims}}</ref>
By May 2023, investigators with the [[Smith special counsel investigation|independent special counsel investigation]] led by [[Jack Smith (lawyer)|Jack Smith]] had come to doubt Nauta's account of his activities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Justice Dept. Intensifying Efforts to Determine if Trump Hid Documents |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/04/us/politics/trump-documents-subpoenas-justice-department.html |work=The New York Times |date=May 4, 2023|author1=Maggie Haberman|author2=Adam Goldman|author3=Alan Feuer|author4=Ben Protess|author5=Michael S. Schmidt}}</ref> On May 24, 2023, the special counsel [[Target letter|formally notified Nauta that he was a target of the investigation]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Five major revelations from Trump’s federal indictment |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4042968-five-major-revelations-from-trumps-federal-indictment/ |work=The Hill |date=June 9, 2023|author1=Brett Samuels|author2=Rebecca Beitsch|author3=Zach Schonfeld|author4=Jared Gans}}</ref>


==Federal investigation and indictment==
On June 8, 2023, Nauta and Trump were indicted by a federal grand jury in the [[U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida]], based in Miami. Nauta was indicted on six counts; Trump was indicted on 37 counts.<ref name=Indictment/><ref name=CNNInd/><ref name=usatoday0609>{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/06/09/trump-body-man-walt-nauta-indicted-in-classified-documents-case/70306536007/|title=Trump aide Walt Nauta indicted in classified docs case. Who is he?|first = Josh|last=Meyer|publisher= [[USA Today]]|date=2023-06-09}}</ref> Nauta was charged with [[Criminal conspiracy|conspiracy]] to [[Obstruction of justice|obstruct justice]], [[Tampering_with_evidence#Spoliation|withholding a document or record]], [[Obstructing an official proceeding|corruptly concealing a document or record]], [[Obstructing an official proceeding|corruptly concealing a document in a federal investigation]], [[Cover-up|scheme to conceal]], and [[Making false statements|making false statements and representations]].<ref name=Indictment/><ref name=CNNInd/><ref name=usatoday0609/>
[[File:Classified documents at Mar-a-Lago 867c328616652a2ce0727e8e90c9df1d.png|thumb|left|Storage room with document boxes at Mar-a-Lago]]
Nauta was called as a witness in the [[FBI investigation into Donald Trump's handling of government documents|Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation into Donald Trump's handling of government documents]]; the investigation began in 2022.<ref name="helderman" /> Investigators with the [[Smith special counsel investigation|independent special counsel investigation]] led by [[Jack Smith (lawyer)|Jack Smith]] came to doubt Nauta's account of his activities, and beginning in fall 2022 considered whether to charge him with crimes.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |authorlink1=Maggie Haberman |last2=Goldman |first2=Adam |last3=Feuer |first3=Alan |last4=Protess |first4=Ben |last5=Schmidt |first5=Michael S. |authorlink5=Michael S. Schmidt |title=Justice Dept. Intensifying Efforts to Determine if Trump Hid Documents sex |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/04/us/politics/trump-documents-subpoenas-justice-department.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 4, 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=May 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230505001053/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/05/04/us/politics/trump-documents-subpoenas-justice-department.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="OtherPerson">{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie |date=June 10, 2023 |title=Who Is Walt Nauta, the Other Person Indicted Along With Trump? |volume=172 |page=A13 |work=The New York Times |issue=59815 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/us/politics/walt-nauta-trump-documents-indictment.html |access-date=June 10, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |language=en-US |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610011942/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/09/us/politics/walt-nauta-trump-documents-indictment.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Nauta declined to cooperate with prosecutors, and on May 24, 2023, the special counsel formally notified Nauta that he was a [[Target letter|target of the investigation]].<ref name="OtherPerson" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Samuels |first1=Brett |last2=Beitsch |first2=Rebecca |last3=Schonfeld |first3=Zach |last4=Gans |first4=Jared |title=Five major revelations from Trump's federal indictment |url=https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4042968-five-major-revelations-from-trumps-federal-indictment/ |work=[[The Hill (newspaper)|The Hill]] |date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609195333/https://thehill.com/policy/national-security/4042968-five-major-revelations-from-trumps-federal-indictment/ |url-status=live }}</ref>


On June 8, 2023, Nauta was co-indicted with Trump by a [[federal grand jury]] in the [[U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida]], based in Miami. Nauta was indicted on six counts: [[Criminal conspiracy|conspiracy]] to [[Obstruction of justice|obstruct justice]], [[Tampering with evidence#Spoliation|withholding a document or record]], corruptly concealing a document or record, [[Obstructing an official proceeding|corruptly concealing a document in a federal investigation]], [[Cover-up|scheme to conceal]], and [[making false statements]] and representations.<ref name="Indictment">{{cite web |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Indictment; ''United States of America v. Donald J. Trump and Waltine Nauta'' |url=https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_of_America_v._Donald_J._Trump_and_Waltine_Nauta.pdf |access-date=June 9, 2023 |website=[[Wikimedia Commons|commons.wikimedia.org]] |language=en |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610133133/https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:United_States_of_America_v._Donald_J._Trump_and_Waltine_Nauta.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="CNNInd" /><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/06/09/trump-body-man-walt-nauta-indicted-in-classified-documents-case/70306536007/ |title=Trump aide Walt Nauta indicted in classified docs case. Who is he? |first=Josh |last=Meyer |authorlink=Josh Meyer |work=[[USA Today]] |date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610042330/https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/06/09/trump-body-man-walt-nauta-indicted-in-classified-documents-case/70306536007/ |url-status=live }}</ref> At the time of the [[indictment]], Nauta was with Trump at [[Trump National Golf Club Bedminster]].<ref name="CNNInd" />
==References==

{{commonscat|Waltine Nauta}}
[[File:US v Trump-Nauta 23-80101.pdf|thumb|June 8, 2023, Indictment of Trump and Nauta]]
According to the indictment, in the waning days of Trump's term in office, both Trump and Nauta packed items from the White House to ship to Mar-a-Lago in [[Florida]].<ref name="NBCProfile" /> The indictment alleges that, between November 2021 and January 2022, Nauta, acting at Trump's direction, moved boxes that included illegally retained [[classified information in the United States|classified documents]] and [[National security|national defense]]-related documents from a storage room at Mar-a-Lago to Trump's residence.<ref name="Indictment" /><ref name="CNNInd">{{cite news |last1=Perez |first1=Evan |last2=Murray |first2=Sara |authorlink2=Sara Murray (journalist) |last3=Sneed |first3=Tierney |last4=Herb |first4=Jeremy |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted/index.html |title=Trump aide Walt Nauta indicted in classified documents case |work=[[CNN]] |date=June 9, 2023 |language=en |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230609162227/https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/09/politics/walt-nauta-trump-indicted/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The indictment also alleges that, after a federal grand jury issued a [[subpoena]] in May 2022 requiring the return of the government documents, Nauta assisted Trump in concealing documents from the grand jury, the [[FBI]], and Trump's own lawyers.<ref name="cbs" /><ref name="CoDefendants">{{cite news |last1=Stein |first1=Perry |last2=Hsu |first2=Spencer S. |last3=Dawsey |first3=Josh |date=June 9, 2023 |title=Trump and his valet Walt Nauta: Forever linked as codefendants |language=en-US |volume=146 |pages=A1 and A5 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/09/walt-nauta-indicted-trump-classified-documents/ |authorlink3=Josh Dawsey |access-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610214032/https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/09/walt-nauta-indicted-trump-classified-documents/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It alleges that Trump and Nauta misled a lawyer working for Trump (referenced in the indictment as "Attorney 1," and identified as [[Evan Corcoran]]) who was working on gathering documents to comply with the subpoena.<ref name="CoDefendants" /> According to the indictment, between May 23, 2022 (when Trump met with his attorneys) and June 2, 2022 (when Corcoran told Trump he planned to search a storage room in Mar-a-Lago for documents sought by the subpoena), Nauta was seen on surveillance video removing 64 boxes from a storage room and delivering them to Trump's residence, then returning only 30 boxes to the room.<ref name="CoDefendants" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Haberman |first1=Maggie|last2=Feuer |first2=Alan |date=October 13, 2022 |title=Trump Aide Was Seen on Security Footage Moving Boxes at Mar-a-Lago |page=A21 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/politics/trump-mar-a-lago-walt-nauta.html |access-date=June 10, 2023 |issn=0362-4331 |language=en-US |archive-date=June 10, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610014240/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/12/us/politics/trump-mar-a-lago-walt-nauta.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to the indictment, Nauta texted another Trump employee that he had found that several of Trump's boxes had fallen onto the floor, spilling their contents, and Nauta sent a photo to the other employee showing a document on the floor with visible classification markings.<ref>[https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/politics/trump-campaign-aide-identified-as-key-person-in-classified-docs-indictment-sources/ar-AA1dbLJG "Trump campaign aide identified as key person in classified docs indictment: Sources,"] ''ABC News''..</ref> The indictment states that Nauta lied to FBI investigators in May 2022, by falsely claiming he was not aware of boxes being brought to Trump's residence for Trump's review.<ref name="Indictment" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Feuer |first1=Alan |last2=Haberman |first2=Maggie|last3=Swan |first3=Jonathan |authorlink3=Jonathan Swan |date=June 12, 2023 |title=How Walt Nauta, a Personal Aide, Came to Be Charged as Trump's Co-Conspirator |volume=172 |page=A13 |newspaper=The New York Times |issue=59817 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/11/us/politics/walt-nauta-trump-documents.html |access-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-date=June 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230612052759/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/11/us/politics/walt-nauta-trump-documents.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The charges are punishable by up to 90 years in prison.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/65862112|title=Who is Walt Nauta, the aide charged alongside Donald Trump?|date=June 9, 2023|work=[[BBC]]|access-date=June 15, 2023|archive-date=June 13, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230613192123/https://www.bbc.com/news/65862112|url-status=live}}</ref>

On July 27, a superseding indictment<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 27, 2023 |title=U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida |url=https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653.85.0.pdf}}</ref> was filed with two new counts of obstruction against Nauta, bringing the total counts against Nauta to eight.<ref name="superseding-cnbc3"/>

==Arraignment and pre-trial motions==
[[File:Classified documents at Mar-a-Lago bathroom.jpg|thumb|Document boxes in Mar-a-Lago bathroom]]
[[Federal prosecution of Donald Trump (government documents case)|Trump was arraigned on June 13]] and pleaded not guilty to all 37 counts.<ref name = NYT13June /> The federal magistrate judge twice postponed Nauta's arraignment so [[Stanley Woodward (attorney)|Stanley Woodward]]&mdash;Nauta's Washington, D.C. lawyer, whose fees are paid by Trump's [[Save America]] [[political action committee]]&mdash;could find local counsel admitted to practice in the Southern District of Florida with whom to work, as required by court rules. (Woodward is not a member of the local court bar, and thus is appearing ''[[pro hac vice]]''.)<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |author=Bower |first=Anna |date=June 27, 2023 |title=The Arraignment That Wasn't |url=https://www.lawfaremedia.org/article/the-arraignment-that-wasn-t |access-date=June 27, 2023 |website=Lawfare}}</ref><ref>[https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2023/jun/13/trump-indictment-arraignment-miami-classified-documents-live-updates?page=with:block-64891ddf8f080a25fe315166#block-64891ddf8f080a25fe315166 Summary of the day], ''The Guardian'' (June 13, 2023).</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Graham |first=David A. |date=June 15, 2023 |title=Trump's Bag Man |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/walt-nauta-donald-trump-bag-man/674407/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230615191921/https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/06/walt-nauta-donald-trump-bag-man/674407/ |archive-date=June 15, 2023 |access-date=June 16, 2023 |website=[[The Atlantic]]}}</ref><ref>Devlin Barrett and Perry Stein (June 27, 2023). [https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/06/27/trump-documents-nauta-arraignment/ "Arraignment for Trump aide Nauta delayed as he searches for lawyer,"] ''The Washington Post''.</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2023/06/21/not-miami-donald-trumps-trial-seems-set-to-move-to-a-quiet-florida-town/|title=Not Miami? Donald Trump's Trial Seems Set to Move to a Quiet Florida Town|website=Daily Business Review|date=June 21, 2023|access-date=June 21, 2023|archive-date=June 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621201902/https://www.law.com/dailybusinessreview/2023/06/21/not-miami-donald-trumps-trial-seems-set-to-move-to-a-quiet-florida-town/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On June 13, Trump and Nauta were granted [[Bail|pre-trial release]], on their [[own recognizance]].<ref>{{cite news|last1 = Thrush|first1 = Glenn|authorlink1 = Glenn Thrush|last2 = Nehamas|first2 = Nicholas|last3 = Sullivan|first3 = Eileen|authorlink3 = Eileen Sullivan|date = June 13, 2023|title = Trump Pleads Not Guilty in Documents Case|url = https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/13/us/trump-indictment-arraignment-court/here-is-the-latest-on-the-trumps-court-appearance|access-date = June 14, 2023|newspaper = The New York Times|archive-date = June 13, 2023|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230613225939/https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/06/13/us/trump-indictment-arraignment-court/here-is-the-latest-on-the-trumps-court-appearance|url-status = live}}</ref> As is common in criminal matters, the co-defendants were instructed that they were prohibited from discussing the case with each other, except through their lawyers. A similar restriction applied to their communications with witnesses. Trump and Nauta remained free to converse directly on topics unrelated to the case.<ref name = NYT13June>{{cite news|first1 = Maggie|last1 = Haberman|first2 = Alan|last2 = Feuer|date = June 13, 2023|title = Trump Ordered Not to Discuss Case With His Aide and Co-Defendant|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/13/us/politics/trump-nauta-indictment.html|access-date = June 14, 2023|newspaper = The New York Times|archive-date = June 14, 2023|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230614010658/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/13/us/politics/trump-nauta-indictment.html|url-status = live}}</ref> Nauta continued to serve as a personal assistant to Trump.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Justice Department seeks to delay Donald Trump's Aug. 14 trial in Fort Pierce |url=https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/st-lucie-county/2023/06/26/trumps-august-trial-in-fort-pierce-likely-to-be-delayed-to-december/70356300007/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230626203633/https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/crime/st-lucie-county/2023/06/26/trumps-august-trial-in-fort-pierce-likely-to-be-delayed-to-december/70356300007/ |archive-date=June 26, 2023 |access-date=June 26, 2023 |website=Treasure Coast}}</ref>

Nauta ultimately hired Sasha Dadan (a criminal defense lawyer and former [[public defender]] whose main office is in [[Fort Pierce, Florida]], where the trial judge would be based) to co-counsel with Woodward. At his arraignment on July 6, Nauta pleaded not guilty.<ref name="auto1"/><ref>{{Cite web |author=Gomez Licon |first1=Adriana |last2=Tucker |first2=Eric |date=July 6, 2023 |title=Trump valet Walt Nauta pleads not guilty in classified documents case |url=https://apnews.com/article/trump-maralago-justice-department-classified-f5a7b87bbb0234d5504d1c1f92bc857e |access-date=July 12, 2023 |website=AP News |agency=Associated Press}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite news |last=Allen |first=Greg |date=July 6, 2023 |title=Walt Nauta, aide to Donald Trump, pleads not guilty in classified documents case |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2023/07/06/1186052042/walt-nauta-plea-donald-trump-indictment |access-date=July 12, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/06/us/walt-nauta-trump-documents.html|title=Trump Aide Pleads Not Guilty in Classified Documents Case|first=Alan|last=Feuer|date=July 6, 2023|work=The New York Times}}</ref> On July 10, Nauta requested an indefinite postponement of a pre-trial hearing in the case scheduled for July 14. That week, Woodward was anticipated to be in another courthouse defending a different man (Federico Guillermo “Freddie” Klein) tied to Trump, who was on trial related to the U.S. Capitol storming; the government opposed the request.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://themessenger.com/politics/trump-walt-nauta-delay-friday-hearing-lawyer-conflict-jan-6-trial|title=Trump's 'Body Man' Asks to Delay Friday Hearing over Lawyer's Conflict with a Jan. 6 Trial|date=July 10, 2023|website=The Messenger|access-date=July 10, 2023|archive-date=July 10, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710182719/https://themessenger.com/politics/trump-walt-nauta-delay-friday-hearing-lawyer-conflict-jan-6-trial|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652/gov.uscourts.flsd.648652.64.0.pdf|title="GOVERNMENT'S OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT NAUTA'S MOTION TO CONTINUE CIPA SECTION 2 PRETRIAL CONFERENCE"}}</ref>

Nauta's trial is scheduled to follow that of Trump's, which prosecutors told the judge they would like to begin on December 11.<ref name="auto2"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/st-lucie-county/2023/06/21/will-donald-trump-appear-criminal-trial-fort-pierce-federal-courthouse-classified-documents/70342189007/|title=Will Donald Trump appear at his criminal trial at the Fort Pierce federal courthouse?|website=Treasure Coast|date=June 21, 2023|access-date=June 21, 2023|archive-date=June 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621201902/https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/st-lucie-county/2023/06/21/will-donald-trump-appear-criminal-trial-fort-pierce-federal-courthouse-classified-documents/70342189007/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ptvnews.ph/judge-sets-aug-14-for-start-of-trump-trial/|title=Judge sets Aug. 14 for start of Trump trial|website=PTV News|date=June 21, 2023|access-date=June 21, 2023|archive-date=June 21, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230621201904/https://ptvnews.ph/judge-sets-aug-14-for-start-of-trump-trial/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/23/us/politics/trump-documents-trial-delay.html|title=Prosecutors Seek to Delay Trump Documents Trial to December|first=Glenn|last=Thrush|date=June 24, 2023|work=The New York Times|access-date=June 24, 2023|archive-date=June 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230624092253/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/23/us/politics/trump-documents-trial-delay.html|url-status=live}}</ref> On July 21, 2023, the trial of the two defendants was scheduled by U.S. District Judge [[Aileen Cannon]] for May 20, 2024.<ref>[https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653/gov.uscourts.flsd.648653.83.0.pdf "ORDER GRANTING IN PART GOVERNMENT’S MOTION TO CONTINUE TRIAL AND RESETTING DEADLINE"]</ref><ref>[https://www.npr.org/2023/07/21/1188986731/trump-trial-documents-classified-florida-judge "Trump classified documents trial in Florida to begin in May 2024,"] NPR.</ref>

==See also==
*[[Michael Cohen (lawyer)|Michael Cohen]], former attorney for Trump; pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign-finance violations, and served one year in prison
*[[Allen Weisselberg]], former CFO of the Trump Organization; pleaded guilty to 15 criminal charges, and served four months in prison
*[[Peter Navarro]], former Trump Administration official; convicted of contempt of Congress and sentenced to four months in prison

== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{commonscat-inline|Waltine Nauta}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Nauta, Walt}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nauta, Walt}}
[[Category:1980s births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Guamanian people]]
[[Category:21st-century American military personnel]]
[[Category:United States Navy personnel]]
[[Category:People from Hågat, Guam]]
[[Category:Guamanian military personnel]]
[[Category:United States Navy non-commissioned officers]]
[[Category:Trump administration personnel]]
[[Category:Trump administration personnel]]
[[Category:1980s births]]
[[Category:People charged with crimes]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:Donald Trump controversies]]
[[Category:Donald Trump prosecutions]]
[[Category:Donald Trump litigation]]
[[Category:Mar-a-Lago]]

Latest revision as of 19:08, 6 May 2024

Walt Nauta
Nauta in the U.S. Navy, 2008
Born
Waltine Torre Nauta Jr.[1]

1982 or 1983 (age 41–42)[2]
Occupation(s)Valet and body man
Known forIndictment with Donald Trump on federal charges
Military career
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Years of service2001–21
RankSenior Chief Petty Officer

Waltine Torre Nauta Jr.[1] (born 1982 or 1983[2]) is an American valet and body man to former U.S. president Donald Trump. He is a defendant in a criminal case over violations of the Espionage Act and related offenses. While a petty officer in the U.S. Navy, he was Trump's valet at the White House. After Trump's term ended, Nauta continued to work for him at Trump's Mar-a-Lago club and residence.

In June 2023, Trump and Nauta were indicted by a federal grand jury in a criminal case over violations of the Espionage Act and related offenses. Nauta was charged with six counts of federal crimes and pleaded not guilty.[3] On July 27, two new counts of obstruction were brought against Nauta.[4]

The original six charges against Nauta relate to allegations that he, acting at Trump's direction, moved boxes that included illegally retained classified documents and national defense-related documents to Trump's residence, and then lied about it to federal investigators. He was indicted for conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record, corruptly concealing a document in a federal investigation, scheme to conceal, and making false statements and representations. The charges are punishable by up to 90 years in prison if he is convicted.

Early life[edit]

Nauta was born in Hågat, Guam, and grew up there with five siblings.[5][6] He graduated from Southern High School in nearby Sånta Rita-Sumai.[2][7]

Career[edit]

Nauta enlisted in the U.S. Navy in July 2001.[2] He was a cook, with the rating of culinary specialist.[1] Among his Navy postings were stints with a strike fighter squadron in California, and at a submarine base in Georgia.[8] In 2012, he was assigned to the Presidential Food Service, which is run by the U.S. Navy and manages the White House Mess as part of the White House Military Office.[1][9]

During the presidency of Donald Trump, Nauta became a personal valet to the president.[10] He was responsible for responding to the presidential call button, including when the president requested Diet Cokes, which Nauta would bring to Trump on a silver platter.[11][8] Nauta was promoted to senior chief petty officer in September 2020.[10]

When Trump's term of office ended in January 2021, Nauta accompanied him to Mar-a-Lago, where he worked as Trump's butler and body man.[1][12] He frequently traveled with Trump to public appearances and campaign events.[1] By August 2021, Nauta was on the payroll of Trump's political action committee, Save America.[1] Nauta's service in the Navy ended in September 2021.[10] He was also paid by Trump's 2024 presidential campaign beginning in November 2022.[1]

Nauta was accused of sexual harassment and revenge porn by several women in spring 2021, which led to him being reassigned and his security credentials being docked. This was several weeks before he left the Navy and became a personal employee of Trump.[13]

Federal investigation and indictment[edit]

Storage room with document boxes at Mar-a-Lago

Nauta was called as a witness in the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation into Donald Trump's handling of government documents; the investigation began in 2022.[2] Investigators with the independent special counsel investigation led by Jack Smith came to doubt Nauta's account of his activities, and beginning in fall 2022 considered whether to charge him with crimes.[14][15] Nauta declined to cooperate with prosecutors, and on May 24, 2023, the special counsel formally notified Nauta that he was a target of the investigation.[15][16]

On June 8, 2023, Nauta was co-indicted with Trump by a federal grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, based in Miami. Nauta was indicted on six counts: conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record, corruptly concealing a document or record, corruptly concealing a document in a federal investigation, scheme to conceal, and making false statements and representations.[17][18][19] At the time of the indictment, Nauta was with Trump at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster.[18]

June 8, 2023, Indictment of Trump and Nauta

According to the indictment, in the waning days of Trump's term in office, both Trump and Nauta packed items from the White House to ship to Mar-a-Lago in Florida.[1] The indictment alleges that, between November 2021 and January 2022, Nauta, acting at Trump's direction, moved boxes that included illegally retained classified documents and national defense-related documents from a storage room at Mar-a-Lago to Trump's residence.[17][18]

The indictment also alleges that, after a federal grand jury issued a subpoena in May 2022 requiring the return of the government documents, Nauta assisted Trump in concealing documents from the grand jury, the FBI, and Trump's own lawyers.[9][20] It alleges that Trump and Nauta misled a lawyer working for Trump (referenced in the indictment as "Attorney 1," and identified as Evan Corcoran) who was working on gathering documents to comply with the subpoena.[20] According to the indictment, between May 23, 2022 (when Trump met with his attorneys) and June 2, 2022 (when Corcoran told Trump he planned to search a storage room in Mar-a-Lago for documents sought by the subpoena), Nauta was seen on surveillance video removing 64 boxes from a storage room and delivering them to Trump's residence, then returning only 30 boxes to the room.[20][21] According to the indictment, Nauta texted another Trump employee that he had found that several of Trump's boxes had fallen onto the floor, spilling their contents, and Nauta sent a photo to the other employee showing a document on the floor with visible classification markings.[22] The indictment states that Nauta lied to FBI investigators in May 2022, by falsely claiming he was not aware of boxes being brought to Trump's residence for Trump's review.[17][23] The charges are punishable by up to 90 years in prison.[24]

On July 27, a superseding indictment[25] was filed with two new counts of obstruction against Nauta, bringing the total counts against Nauta to eight.[4]

Arraignment and pre-trial motions[edit]

Document boxes in Mar-a-Lago bathroom

Trump was arraigned on June 13 and pleaded not guilty to all 37 counts.[26] The federal magistrate judge twice postponed Nauta's arraignment so Stanley Woodward—Nauta's Washington, D.C. lawyer, whose fees are paid by Trump's Save America political action committee—could find local counsel admitted to practice in the Southern District of Florida with whom to work, as required by court rules. (Woodward is not a member of the local court bar, and thus is appearing pro hac vice.)[27][28][29][30][31]

On June 13, Trump and Nauta were granted pre-trial release, on their own recognizance.[32] As is common in criminal matters, the co-defendants were instructed that they were prohibited from discussing the case with each other, except through their lawyers. A similar restriction applied to their communications with witnesses. Trump and Nauta remained free to converse directly on topics unrelated to the case.[26] Nauta continued to serve as a personal assistant to Trump.[33]

Nauta ultimately hired Sasha Dadan (a criminal defense lawyer and former public defender whose main office is in Fort Pierce, Florida, where the trial judge would be based) to co-counsel with Woodward. At his arraignment on July 6, Nauta pleaded not guilty.[3][34][35][36] On July 10, Nauta requested an indefinite postponement of a pre-trial hearing in the case scheduled for July 14. That week, Woodward was anticipated to be in another courthouse defending a different man (Federico Guillermo “Freddie” Klein) tied to Trump, who was on trial related to the U.S. Capitol storming; the government opposed the request.[37][38]

Nauta's trial is scheduled to follow that of Trump's, which prosecutors told the judge they would like to begin on December 11.[35][39][40][41] On July 21, 2023, the trial of the two defendants was scheduled by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon for May 20, 2024.[42][43]

See also[edit]

  • Michael Cohen, former attorney for Trump; pleaded guilty to tax evasion and campaign-finance violations, and served one year in prison
  • Allen Weisselberg, former CFO of the Trump Organization; pleaded guilty to 15 criminal charges, and served four months in prison
  • Peter Navarro, former Trump Administration official; convicted of contempt of Congress and sentenced to four months in prison

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Ainsley, Julia; Haake, Garrett; Edelman, Adam; O'Donnell, Kelly (June 9, 2023). "Trump aide Walt Nauta also indicted in classified documents case". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Helderman, Rosalind S.; Ye Hee Lee, Michelle; Dawsey, Josh; Harris, Shane; Parker, Ashley; Barrett, Devlin (March 18, 2023). "The aide who stayed: Walt Nauta, key witness in Trump documents case". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Gomez Licon, Adriana; Tucker, Eric (July 6, 2023). "Trump Valet Charged In Classified Documents Case Set Again For Arraignment". HuffPost. Retrieved July 6, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Mangan, Dan; Breuninger, Kevin (July 27, 2023). "Trump hit with new charges in classified documents case, third defendant added". CNBC. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  5. ^ Bevan Hurley (June 14, 2023). "Who is Donald Trump's indicted 'body man' Walt Nauta?". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  6. ^ Bailey, Chelsea (June 9, 2023). "Who is Walt Nauta, the aide charged alongside Donald Trump?". BBC News. Archived from the original on June 13, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  7. ^ McLaughlin, Kelly (June 13, 2023). "Meet Waltine Nauta, Trump's 'Diet Coke valet' who's now his co-defendant on federal charges". Yahoo News. Associated Press. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Ballhaus, Rebecca (June 10, 2023). "Walt Nauta, Trump's Valet, Charged Alongside His Boss". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 15, 2023.
  9. ^ a b O'Kane, Caitlin (June 9, 2023). "Who is Walt Nauta — and why was the Trump aide also indicted in the documents case?". CBS News. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  10. ^ a b c Barrett, Devlin (October 13, 2022). "Key Mar-a-Lago witness said to be former White House employee". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 18, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023.
  11. ^ Hurley, Bevan (June 14, 2023). "Who is Walt Nauta? Donald Trump's 'body man' charged over classified documents". The Independent. Archived from the original on June 14, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  12. ^ Hartmann, Margaret (March 21, 2023). "Diet Coke Valet Is Trump's Most Loyal Aide". New York Magazine: "Intelligencer". Archived from the original on June 10, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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