FBI investigation into Donald Trump's handling of government documents significant person Donald Trump
In 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) began a criminal investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified and national defense-related government documents, looking for possible violations of the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice.In November 2022, a special counsel investigation was launched to take over the FBI investigation, under the direction of Jack Smith, a special counsel appointed by United States Attorney General Merrick Garland.
On June 8, 2023, Trump was indicted on charges related to the documents in the Federal District Court in Miami. It was the first time a former U.S. president had faced federal charges. Trump was arraigned at the federal courthouse in Miami on June 13, 2023, on 37 criminal charges, pleading not guilty to each charge.Special counsel investigation
On November 18, Attorney General Merrick Garland named Jack Smith as independent special counsel to lead the investigation of the classified material case, and to review Trump's role in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, with specific focus on any potential obstruction to the transfer of presidential power that may have occurred following the 2020 U.S. elections. In December, Smith and his team of 20 prosecutors filed subpoenas targeting Trump allies who worked at the local and state government levels during the 2020 elections in Georgia, New Mexico, Nevada, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.