Former US President Donald Trump has become the most high-profile person to ever face criminal charges under the Espionage Act, but what is the Act?
Former US President Donald Trump has become the most high-profile person to ever face criminal charges under the Espionage Act for the unlawful retention of sensitive national defence records.
The statute criminalises a broad array of conduct related to the mishandling of sensitive government records connected to the “national defence,” a term generally referring to military records that if disclosed could damage US national security. To obtain a conviction against Trump, the government will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he willfully retained the material and failed to turn it over to the government.
Prosecutors don’t need to show that Trump knew it was national defence information, but rather that a reasonable person should have known it was. This section of the law makes it a crime to willfully retain the information and fail to deliver it back to the proper US government official.To obtain a conviction against Trump, the government will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he willfully retained the material and failed to turn it over to the government.Prosecutors do not need to show that Trump knew it was national defence information, but rather that a reasonable person should have known it was.
While Trump finally agreed to send the Archives 15 boxes of material a year after leaving the White House, some of those records were marked as classified, and the boxes did not include all of the records in his possession.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Donald Trump indictment: Trump calls indictment a travesty in first appearance after chargesDonald Trump has called his federal indictment a “travesty of justice” in his first public appearance since he was charged for allegedly mishandling classified materials after he left the White House. Follow updates here.
Read more »
First Thing: Donald Trump charged with illegal retention of classified documentsEx-president to be prosecuted for obstruction and violating Espionage Act over Mar-a-Lago documents. Plus, the doctors helping Republicans attack trans healthcare
Read more »
Donald Trump charged in criminal case over classified documentsFormer US President Donald Trump is facing seven criminal counts for retaining classified government documents and obstruction of justice. This case is the latest setback for Mr Trump's 2024 presidential campaign. Read more:
Read more »
Melania 'standing by' Donald Trump's side amid criminal chargesFormer first lady of the US Melania Trump is reportedly 'standing by her husband' as he faces a 37-count indictment over allegedly mishandling classified White House documents.
Read more »
Australian link to secret document allegedly found at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resortForeign Minister Penny Wong has responded to the document, relating to an 'important' intelligence-sharing alliance of which Australia is a member, that was allegedly found on the floor of a storage room at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort.
Read more »
The scale of Donald Trump's legal troubles has been revealed | 7NEWSThe scale of Donald Trump's legal troubles has been revealed with the former US President facing 37 federal charges over his hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home. 7NEWS at 6pm | 7NEWS
Read more »