Special Poll
After departing from his presidential role, reports suggest that Donald Trump might have divulged confidential details concerning U.S. nuclear submarines to Anthony Pratt, an Australian magnate and member at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.
This confidential exchange reportedly took place at a golf club in Palm Beach, Florida, in April 2021. ABC News, citing informed sources, was the first to break this story, which was later corroborated by The New York Times.
Special counsel Jack Smith’s office, upon learning of this, charged Trump for mishandling classified materials this year. Since the news broke, Pratt has been interviewed twice by the FBI and prosecutors about this interaction, as reported by ABC.
During a 2019 event in Wapakoneta, Ohio, Trump publicly addressed an audience with Pratt and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison in attendance.
Steven Cheung, spokesperson for Trump’s 2024 campaign, criticized the leakage of this information, questioning the validity and context of the sources. He urged the Department of Justice to look into the unauthorized disclosures and vouched for Trump’s integrity and adherence to the law.
NBC News attempted to get a statement from Pratt’s firm.
Sources indicate that Pratt suggested Australia purchase submarines from the U.S. during their chat. Allegedly, Trump, in a confidential manner, shared specifics about the capability of U.S. submarines, including the number of warheads they hold and their proximity capacity to Russian submarines. It’s worth noting that Trump did not present any official documents to Pratt during this discussion.
Pratt, who helms the cardboard company, Pratt Industries, supposedly conveyed Trump’s comments to over 45 individuals, including journalists, company employees, Australian dignitaries, and former Australian Prime Ministers.
The Times mentioned that Pratt is on the list of potential witnesses for Trump’s upcoming trial scheduled in May in Fort Pierce, Florida. The special counsel’s office, however, chose not to comment on the story.
Recently, the Department of Justice updated their indictment, implicating Trump in an alleged attempt to conceal classified documents at Mar-a-Lago shortly after his presidency. Though Pratt’s narrative isn’t part of the formal charges, the indictment does allude to instances where Trump might have shared sensitive information post-presidency with unauthorized individuals.