Who saw this coming?
Former President Donald Trump has informed NBC News that he is willing to provide testimony in the criminal case involving classified documents. He vehemently denies any involvement in instructing a Mar-a-Lago staff member to delete security camera footage.
According to Newsmax, in late July, Trump, along with two of his associates, faced charges of obstruction related to their alleged attempt to erase video recordings at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida residence. Trump firmly asserted to NBC News that he never issued any directive to his staff to delete the security footage. He dismissed the allegation as false during an interview with “Meet the Press” moderator Kristen Welker.
When questioned about his willingness to testify under oath, Trump confidently stated, “Sure, I’m going to — I’ll testify.” He emphasized that the security tapes in question were never deleted, asserting, “But more importantly, the tapes weren’t deleted. In other words, there was nothing done to them. And they were my tapes. I could have fought them. I didn’t even have to give them the tapes, I don’t think.”
Trump, alongside his valet, Walt Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago’s maintenance supervisor, Carlos De Oliveira, all pleaded not guilty to the obstruction charges. Trump expressed his belief that he would have prevailed in court, explaining, “I think I would have won in court. When they asked for the tapes, I said, ‘Sure.’ They’re my tapes. I could have fought them. I didn’t even have to give them. Just so you understand, though, we didn’t delete anything. Nothing was deleted.”
According to prosecutors, Nauta and De Oliveira allegedly instructed an unnamed third staff member to delete security footage after receiving a subpoena requesting the tapes. The indictment claimed that Nauta and De Oliveira conveyed that “the boss” had requested the deletion of the security video.
In June, Trump pleaded not guilty to charges related to mishandling classified documents, which encompassed violations of the Espionage Act, illegal retention of national security documents concerning nuclear programs, defense capabilities, weapons information, and a Pentagon “attack plan.”
Trump also discussed the possibility of pardoning himself if he were to win the 2024 general election. He remarked to NBC News that such an action is “very unlikely,” asserting, “What, what did I do wrong? I didn’t do anything wrong. You mean, because I challenge an election, they want to put me in jail?”
This interview with “Meet the Press,” recorded on Thursday, is scheduled to air on Sunday.