Trump says he was target of ‘weaponized DOJ & FBI’ in classified documents probe

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly getting closer to an indictment after the probe into alleged classified documents. Several media outlets reported on Wednesday that Trump was informed by federal prosecutors that he is a criminal target, likely to be indicted imminently.

Trump denied the reports on his social media Truth Social, writing: "No one has told me I’m being indicted, and I shouldn’t be because I’ve done NOTHING wrong, but I have assumed for years that I am a Target of the WEAPONIZED DOJ & FBI, starting with the Russia, Russia, Russia HOAX, the “No Collusion” Mueller Report, Impeachment HOAX #1, Impeachment HOAX #2, the PERFECT Ukraine phone call, and various other SCAMS & WITCH HUNTS.”

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents, met with a federal grand jury in Miami throughout the day. Smith is rumored to be close to collecting all the evidence and testimony for his inquiry.

In another related development, Trump’s legal team also met with Smith earlier this week, as well as other Justice Department officials.

Jack Smith was appointed in November 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland, following the FBI's unprecedented raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in August. FBI agents seized hundreds of classified documents inside the former president’s private club and residence, more than a year after he left the White House.

CBS News reported that, should charges be pressed in the case, Trump’s legal team has prepared a defense plan alleging that prosecutors committed misconduct in their investigation.

Trump’s former Vice President Mike Pence, who launched his 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday, told NBC News that “President Trump should end his campaign if he's indicted in federal court.” Pence did not say whether an indictment should disqualify Trump from the race.

The former president has labeled the conduct of the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice as a “travesty of justice” and accused them of “election interference at a level never seen before.” He urged Republicans to back him and come to his defense, stressing the GOP must make his inquiry their top priority.

“REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS MUST MAKE THIS THEIR # 1 ISSUE!!!,” Trump posted.

Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), who chairs the House Judiciary Committee, sent a letter to the attorney general on Tuesday demanding that he release an unredacted copy of the Justice Department’s memorandum outlining the scope of Smith’s investigation.