Donald Trump learned Thursday that he has been indicted in connection with the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, news the former president wasn’t expecting after his inner circle largely told him such action by the Department of Justice was unlikely, CBS News chief election and campaign correspondent Robert Costa tweeted.
“Trump is frustrated not just with the indictment but with people in his inner circle who reassured him for months that it was very unlikely to happen... source close to Trump says ‘too much happy talk for way too long,’ about what could happen,” Costa wrote.
“A second source close to Trump says James ‘Jim’ "Trusty knows the special counsel" and is expected to try to work with (Trump attorneys John) Rowley and (Todd) Blanche to figure out exactly how to play the next step, which will be a move to dismiss/formal attempt to question special counsel and especially DOJ's Bratt...”
Costa reported that a meeting on Monday between the DOJ and the former president’s lawyers “didn’t go well.”
“It was mostly the Trump team laying out their concerns and the DOJ officials listening. This was not a negotiation or a friendly 'let's see where things stand' meeting, per multiple people briefed on it... Blanche didn't go but was briefed."
Special counsel Jack Smith's apparent decision to move the case the Southern Florida caught Trump by surprise, too, Costa writes.
“The Florida factor has thrown Trump's team for a loop since it wasn't always expected but they believe the DOJ has been looking hard at jurisdictional challenges, thinking ahead...”
Costa added that “another factor that has several longtime Trump people on edge" is former White House Chief of Staff Mark “MEADOWS.”
