Justice Department moves to prosecution of Trump co-defendants, ending classified documents case

The Justice Department made a surprising move on Wednesday by filing a motion to drop all criminal proceedings against two former Trump co-defendants charged in the special counsel’s classified documents case. This decision marks the official end of the probe that began over two years ago.

The two individuals in question, Carlos De Oliveira, a property manager at Mar-a-Lago, and Walt Nauta, a valet at the property, were initially charged alongside President Donald Trump in the classified documents case led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Acting U.S. attorney in Miami, Hayden O’Byrne, filed the request to drop the charges without providing any explanation for this sudden turn of events. The case had been a focal point of investigations into alleged attempts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 election, as well as his handling of classified documents post his time in the White House.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in 2022, was tasked with looking into these matters. However, both investigations were halted following Trump’s reelection in 2024, in accordance with the Justice Department’s policy against investigating a sitting president.

Despite this, the charges against Nauta and De Oliveira remained, causing concern for their legal teams. Earlier this year, attorneys for the two co-defendants filed an emergency motion to block the publication of a report, fearing irreparable harm to their clients if it were released.

The charges against the two individuals included allegations of conspiring with Trump to obstruct an investigation and making false statements to the FBI. The decision to drop these charges signifies a significant development in the ongoing legal saga surrounding Trump and his associates.

Breanne Deppisch, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, has been following the 2024 election and national news closely. This latest development is sure to have ripple effects across the political landscape, and the decision to drop the charges will undoubtedly spark further debate and speculation.