Former President Donald Trump took to his social media website on Monday to ask how the Justice Department could charge him in its investigation into how he handled national security documents minutes after his lawyers were seen leaving the ministry.
“How can the DOJ indict me, who have done nothing wrong, when no other president has been indicted,” Trump wrote in all caps on Truth Social.
He noted that Hillary Clinton had been investigated by the FBI for classifying information on her private email server and “wasn’t even close to being charged! Only Trump – the biggest hunt for witches of all time!”
Trump released the early afternoon remarks shortly after three of his attorneys – James Trusty, John Rowley and Lindsey Halligan – were seen leaving the Justice Department. The trio have met with special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the investigation, and other officials, a person familiar with the matter said. Neither Attorney General Merrick Garland nor Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco attended, NBC News confirmed.
Trump’s legal team has been spotted for the first time by CBS News then was seen emerging from the building just before noon.
It’s unclear whether Trump was reacting to everything his lawyers told him, but the meeting could be another sign that the investigation into his handling of classified documents is coming to an end. NBC News reported on Saturday that the grand jury hearing the case will meet this week.
Trump’s campaign spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on the meeting.
When the New York State Grand Jury investigating Trump’s silent payments to an adult movie star and a former Playboy model was wrapping up its investigation, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would to be arrested on Tuesday, began to raise funds on the claim and called to demonstrate.
He was charged in that case with falsifying business records, but not until about two weeks later. He pleaded not guilty.
The FBI began investigating the documents case last year after the National Archives alerted it that government documents Trump had returned to him after being absent for about a year included 184 that were marked as classified.
The federal government later issued a subpoena for the return of all documents with classification marks, and Trump’s attorneys turned over 38 more last June, including 17 marked “top secret.” They also handed over a statement that “a diligent search has been made” and that “all relevant documents have been handed over,” according to court documents.
The Justice Department then obtained information that Trump had even more classified documents, and he executed a search warrant at his Florida home in August. The search found more than 100 documents marked “confidential”, “secret” and “top secret” in the storage room and in Trump’s office.
Court records indicate that the federal investigation focused on possible crimes involving the handling of classified or sensitive national security records and obstruction.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the case and claimed the documents belong to him and have all been declassified.
The special counsel’s office has obtained evidence that could undermine that defense – a recording of Trump in 2021 discussing a classified planning document he took from his time in the White House, which he admitted to be classified, said a source with direct knowledge of the matter. last week.
This article originally appeared on NBCNews.com