Former President Donald Trump is facing new allegations after allegedly discussing sensitive information about US nuclear submarines with a member of his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. ABC reported on Thursday that Trump shared the information with Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt, who had a close relationship with the former president during his time in office.
According to sources, Pratt went on to share the information he received from Trump during an April 2021 meeting with foreign officials, employees, and journalists. A former Mar-a-Lago employee also reported hearing Pratt sharing potentially sensitive information minutes after his meeting with Trump.
These allegations were not included in special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment of Trump, but they were reported to and investigated by Smith’s team. A spokesperson for Trump slammed the report, stating that it lacks proper context and relevant information.
CNN reached out to Pratt for comment, but he did not respond. A spokesperson for Smith declined to comment as well.
Pratt allegedly told investigators that Trump shared information about the number of nuclear warheads US submarines carry and how close they can get to a Russian submarine without being detected. However, sources said that Pratt was not shown any government documents during the meeting.
Pratt’s company, Pratt Industries, opened a plant in Ohio while Trump was president. During the opening, Pratt planned to unveil a plaque that read, “Make America and Australia Great Again,” but officials advised against it and quickly removed the plaque.
CNN previously obtained an audio recording of a meeting Trump had in his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, where he acknowledged holding on to a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran. This audio was a critical piece of evidence in the special counsel’s indictment.
Trump is facing 40 counts in the classified documents case, including willful retention of national defense information and conspiracy to obstruct justice. He has requested a delay in the trial until after the 2024 elections, but a similar request was previously denied.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.