Federal investigators are looking into a closet and a "hidden room" at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Special Counsel Jack Smith's team recently questioned multiple witnesses about these undisclosed areas, which were reportedly not searched during a previous FBI raid.
Smith is prosecuting Trump on charges related to his retention of government documents after leaving the White House.
The indictment alleges that Trump took classified documents and obstructed the government's efforts to retrieve them. He has been charged with more than three dozen counts, including multiple violations of the Espionage Act. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to ABC News, investigators discovered that while Trump's attorney was searching a storage room for classified documents, Trump had the locks changed on a closet.
This alleged attempt to conceal documents from the FBI and his own attorney is a significant aspect of the indictment against Trump.
Agents executing the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago were reportedly aware of the closet but did not search it. Additionally, they didn't know about a "hidden room" on the property until after they left.
Sources revealed that the room was concealed behind a large dresser and a big TV in Trump's bedroom. Maintenance workers occasionally entered the room to access cables running through it.
In January 2022, following discussions with Trump's representatives, the National Archives arranged for the return of government documents from Mar-a-Lago.
Trump's representatives committed to continue searching the property for any remaining documents. However, in June 2022, an attorney for Trump wrote a letter to the Department of Justice stating that, to her knowledge, no government material was left at the residence.
Two months later, the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago and discovered additional documents, ultimately finding over 700 classified files.
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Smith is also prosecuting Trump in federal court in Washington, D.C., for his alleged involvement in attempts to overturn the 2020 election. Furthermore, Trump is facing separate criminal charges in Georgia and New York.
If convicted of every charge against him, the former president could face up to 300 years behind bars.
Despite these legal challenges, Trump has denied all criminal wrongdoing and remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination.
Trump and several of his most devoted supporters have gone on to call the indictments against him a "political witch hunt" orchestrated by Joe Biden and the Democrats.
