Did Trump Monetize National Security Documents?

Many Wonder Why He Took Them and Why He Retained Them

Many have speculated on the reasons why Trump put himself in potential criminal jeopardy by retaining and refusing to return national security documents. Some have thought it was an all consuming conviction to retain his “toys.” Some think it was a desire to retain some aspects of the presidency that Trump missed. Others think Trump really felt these were his papers, regardless of what he was otherwise told by his lawyers, government officials and opinions of federal judges.

But it is still hard to square any of these emotions and objectives with the potential criminal liability that could result for Trump.

But there is one potential motivation that could have played a role in Trump’s retention of national security documents despite a federal Grand Jury subpoena seeking any such documents remaining in Trump’s possession.

Trump monetized so many items: Trump label wine, Trump university degrees, Trump golf courses, Trump steaks, and Trump books, among many others.

So did Trump think he could obtain substantial sums by selling national security documents to foreign powers? One would think that Trump would know the extreme seriousness of any such sales of national security documents. But he might also know that any such sales would subject him to almost certain prosecution and the potential for a very long sentence. But could Trump resist the dollars he might earn in such sales? His behavior suggests that maximizing money is a principal Trump objective.

Did Trump think he could do national security sales secretly without any detection? Perhaps. But one of the photos released by government authorities and the news media showed the many boxes of Trump documents stacked up in a room that had a prominent photocopy machine sitting within arm’s reach of the Trump boxes. Were any of the national security documents photocopied there? if so, what was done with them? To whom were photocopies sent, if any?

Is it possible that anyone cooperated with or assisted Trump in photocopying documents? The most likely Trump assistant would be Walt Nauta, his aide who was indicted along with Trump? Did Jack Smith, the Special Counsel, encourage the Miami Grand Jury to indict Nauta in order to put pressure on him to reveal any information he might know about any national security document copying and delivery of such documents to foreign leaders. It would seem a potential area of inquiry for Nauta’s knowledge, and he is the most likely source, if anyone has knowledge in light of his closeness to Trump. Perhaps Jack Smith has made inquiries as part of the documents case, or perhaps any inquiries produced no evidence.

But in light of Trump’s past behavior flouting the law, inquiry should definitely be pursued.

Then there is the highly unusual $2 billion investment by the Saudi Investment Fund in experience lacking Jared Kushner. Though the Saudi advisers told Prime Minister MBS not to make the investment in light of Kushner’s lack of investment experience, MBS approved the investment. Was this investment in Kushner’s fund a payment by the Saudis for national security documents sent to them by Trump? If so, it sounds like a form of money laundering.

Since the national security documents investigation started when the Archives could not find the “Love letters” sent by Kim il Sung to Trump, perhaps Trump thought he could sell national security documents to North Korea due to his “special” relationship with the North Korean dictator.

If Trump succumbed to the offers of money for documents, he will have truly violated the Espionage Act in its literal 1917 sense.

In light of his history, it cannot be presumed that Trump could have resisted offers of cash or monetary equivalents in exchange for copies of America’s national security documents. Special Counsel Jack Smith needs to pursue this undiscussed potential highly serious crime if he can find evidence of it.