Trump lawyers notified he is target of classified documents probe
- US Justice Department moves closer toward possible indictment of Donald Trump in classified documents investigation
- The former US president, whose legal woes are growing, has already been indicted in a separate case
Federal prosecutors have notified former US president Donald Trump’s lawyers he is the target of an investigation into his handling of classified materials, a person familiar with the matter said on Wednesday, adding to his legal troubles as he campaigns for the White House in 2024.
The Justice Department typically notifies people when they become targets of an investigation to give them an opportunity to present their own evidence before a grand jury. The notification does not necessarily mean Trump will be charged.
News of the notification to Trump’s legal team surfaced just two days after his lawyers met with Justice Department officials to discuss the case.
The Trump campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump’s lawyers in the documents case could not be reached for comment.
Trump’s legal team was notified on Monday, the person said. Although there are some signs that the documents investigation is coming to a close, the timing of when a person is told they are a target cannot necessarily be used as a predictor of when charges might be brought, said David Schoen, a lawyer who represented Trump ally Steve Bannon during his criminal trial on contempt of Congress charges.
“Sometimes they are issued at the beginning of a long investigation and sometimes at the conclusion of an investigation,” he said.