According to sources familiar with the ongoing special counsel’s probe into Donald Trump’s actions and the Department of Justice’s operating procedures, federal prosecutors under Jack Smith are preparing to bring an “additional 30 to 45 charges” in addition to the existing 37-count indictment against Trump issued on June 8.
These charges are directly related to the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The indictment, if approved, could be handed down as early as late Thursday or Friday this week, according to The Independent.
The development follows the deadline set by prosecutors for Trump to avail himself of the opportunity to testify before the grand jury responsible for investigating the crimes associated with the Capitol attack. However, it is highly unlikely that Trump will choose to appear before the grand jury, given his previous reluctance to cooperate.
This week, Trump took to his Truth Social website to announce that he had received a “target letter” from Jack Smith, the Department of Justice special counsel overseeing multiple criminal probes into his conduct.
In a lengthy and inflammatory statement filled with false claims about the investigating prosecutors, Trump stated that the letter, received by his attorneys on Sunday, granted him a four-day window to appear before the grand jury.
However, prosecutors typically send target letters to inform potential criminal defendants that they are under investigation and that evidence regarding their alleged crimes is being presented to a grand jury. These letters often extend an invitation to the target to testify before the grand jury, with a reminder that their testimony can be used against them in criminal proceedings.
The transmission of a target letter to a potential defendant usually signifies that prosecutors have completed their investigation and are now preparing to request a grand jury vote on whether to indict.
Multiple witnesses including Jared Kushner, former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, and swing state election officials, have appeared before the grand jury. Evidence from mobile devices and seized phones is also in prosecutors’ possession.
