Staff Reports
In a classic Trump fashion, the former president took to Truth Social to dismiss reports that he shared sensitive information with an Australian billionaire. Calling it “Fake News,” Trump blamed The New York Times and the Biden “Political Opponent Abuser” DOJ for amplifying the story. He specifically targeted the leaked story, referring to it as the work of a “red-haired weirdo from Australia, named Anthony Pratt.”
The controversy revolves around allegations that Trump discussed confidential information about nuclear submarines with a member of Mar-a-Lago, who then shared this information with numerous others. Anthony Pratt, a wealthy Australian businessman and supporter of Trump, was interviewed by special counsel Jack Smith for his alleged involvement in mishandling classified documents by the former president. Pratt reportedly claimed that Trump shared sensitive details about his conversations with world leaders and even discussed submarine information, while heavily criticizing Trump’s ethics.
While a spokesperson for Trump did not deny the contents of the interviews, they argued that the quotes lacked proper context. On Truth Social, Trump denied speaking about submarines with Pratt, but admitted discussing job creation in Ohio and Pennsylvania. He emphasized his focus on jobs, a strong economy, low taxes, energy dominance, strong borders, and other issues he feels are important.
Trump also took the opportunity to criticize the NY Times, claiming they did not request a comment from him and accusing them of writing whatever they want without concern for accuracy. He mockingly referred to them as the “Fake News” and quoted their slogan, “All the News That’s Unfit to Print.”
Trump Says Reports About Sharing Sensitive Information With Mar-a-Lago Member Are ‘Fake News’https://t.co/lMtYkX8zLc
— Dr. Gerald Fox (@drgerryF) October 23, 2023
Moving on from the submarine controversy, the article mentions Trump’s ongoing legal battles. In August of the previous year, the FBI raided his Mar-a-Lago estate and seized classified documents that had been subpoenaed, leading to his indictment in June on 40 counts of mishandling classified information. Trump maintains his innocence, arguing that he declassified the documents and had the right to possess them under the Presidential Records Act. His legal team is trying to delay the trial until after the presidential elections.
In addition to the documents case, Trump is facing another trial related to the January 6 Capitol breach. However, Trump expressed concern about receiving a fair trial in Washington, D.C. and announced his intention to seek a change of venue. He criticized the city, calling it “a dirty, crime-ridden death trap” and outlined his plans to “clean, renovate, and rebuild it.” Notably, Trump had previously requested Judge Tanya Chutkan to step down from the case, but she declined. The judge recently issued a gag order that temporarily prevented Trump from speaking out against special counsel Jack Smith, but it remains unclear if such a prohibition would apply to comments about the Mar-a-Lago case. The gag order is currently under appeal by Trump’s legal team.
