Former President Donald Trump has received a letter from special counsel Jack Smith’s office in recent weeks.
The letter informed him that he is the subject of an ongoing investigation regarding his handling of classified information while he was not in office.
This information has been confirmed by sources familiar with the matter, as reported by ABC News.
The purpose of a target letter is to notify the individual that they are at risk of being indicted. According to Department of Justice guidelines, prosecutors are encouraged to provide such notification in suitable cases, allowing the person a reasonable amount of time to testify before a grand jury.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and has argued that he is being unfairly targeted by his adversaries.
He recently expressed his thoughts on social media, stating, “I’ve done NOTHING wrong, but I have assumed for years that I am a target of the weaponized DOJ & FBI.”
Trump’s lawyers met with officials at the Department of Justice on Monday, including special counsel Jack Smith and a career justice official.
However, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco were not present during the meeting, according to sources.
Last month, Trump’s legal team requested a meeting with Garland due to concerns that he might face a possible indictment related to allegations of retaining materials after leaving office and obstructing the government’s efforts to retrieve them.
The lawyers also raised questions about the credibility of the grand juries investigating the former president.
Special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by Garland in November, is not only investigating Trump’s handling of classified information but also examining his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
In a separate case in New York City, Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records in connection with hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the final days of the 2016 presidential race. Trump has pleaded not guilty to those charges.