Photos included in the federal indictment filed against Donald Trump show boxes allegedly containing classified documents stored in unusual locations — stacked on a ballroom stage and in a bathroom next to a shower and toilet at Mar-a-Lago, the former president’s residence in Florida.
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The images were released Friday as Trump was indicted on 37 counts related to sensitive documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago.
The indictment states that Mar-a-Lago “was not an authorized location for the storage, possession, review, display, or discussion of classified documents” after Trump left office.
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Prosecutors pointed out that “tens of thousands of members and guests” visited the “active social club” at Mar-a-Lago for more than a year after Trump left the White House.
“Nevertheless, Trump stored his boxes containing classified documents in various locations at The Mar-a-Lago Club — including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room,” according to the indictment.
Another photograph contained in the indictment shows one box in a storage room at Mar-a-Lago tipped over on the ground, with materials spilling out from it. The indictment states that on Dec. 7, 2021, Walt Nauta, an aide to Trump, discovered the fallen box and texted an unidentified Trump employee, “I opened the door and found this…” with two photos of the scene.
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Nauta has been indicted along with the former president, according to the federal indictment unsealed Friday.
Contained among the items in the box was a document marked “SECRET/REL TO USA, FVEY,” meaning it was releasable only to the “Five Eyes” intelligence alliance of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the U.S., prosecutors said.
Prosecutors allege that Trump directed his attorney to sign a “sworn certification” that all the classified documents had been turned over to the FBI —when Trump knew there were more classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Jack Smith, the Justice Department special counsel who filed the charges, said in his first public statement that the country has “one set of laws” and that they apply to everyone.
Melissa Quinn and Robert Legare contributed to this report.
