Last year, former President Donald Trump reportedly resisted attempts by his legal counsel to reach a settlement in the classified documents case, thwarting efforts to stave off a federal grand jury indictment, as revealed by a groundbreaking report.
According to the Washington Post, Christopher Kise, who served as one of Trump's lawyers in the autumn of 2022, proposed an inconspicuous negotiation with the Justice Department, specifically with Attorney General Merrick Garland. Kise was quoted as saying he believed his proposition could "take the temperature down" by vowing a systematic approach and the return of all the materials from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.
Nonetheless, Trump chose to ignore Kise's suggestion, favoring the advice of Tom Fitton, leader of the conservative group Judicial Watch. Fitton reportedly suggested that Trump should battle to keep the documents.
Insiders told the publication that Kise never followed through with his idea to engage with prosecutors. A few months later, special prosecutor Jack Smith was appointed, leading to Trump's indictment on Tuesday on 37 felony charges related to his alleged mishandling and concealment of national security information.
Trump entered a plea of not guilty in Miami, vowing to contest the charges. Kise, a previous solicitor general of Florida, chose not to comment on the matter to the Washington Post.
Trump’s presidential campaign representative, Steven Cheung, commented, "President Trump has consistently been in full compliance with the Presidential Records Act, which is the only law that applies to Presidents and their records." He added that the Department of Justice had rejected an offer from Trump for cooperation and proceeded with an "unnecessary and unconstitutional raid" on Trump's home.
The Washington Post's anonymous sources claimed that Trump repeatedly bypassed opportunities to avert criminal charges and misled his advisors about the contents of the boxes at his residence, claiming they held only newspaper clippings and clothes. Despite pleadings from senior advisors for the return of the materials, Trump remained resolute.
Fitton, after dining with Trump before his first court appearance, stated, "He's in a good mood. He’s serious and ready to fight under the law," confirming that he advised the former president but refrained from discussing their conversations in detail.
John Kelly, the former White House chief of staff, commented that Trump is "scared s–tless" over his legal challenges, adding that it appears for the first time, he is facing accountability, something he has successfully evaded throughout his life.