Newly unsealed court documents show the FBI conducted “loose surveillance” on former President Donald Trump’s aircraft and used the code name “Plasmic Echo” for its investigation.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A significant release of documents by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon has unveiled details of the FBI’s investigation into former President Donald Trump, revealing the code name “Plasmic Echo” and discussions about surveillance on Trump’s aircraft. The documents were unsealed on Monday, shedding light on the ongoing classified documents case against the former president.
According to the unsealed records, an FBI counterintelligence official mentioned in June 2022 about performing “loose surveillance” to monitor if boxes were being loaded onto Trump’s plane. While the specific aircraft was not named, the Trump Organization is known to own a Boeing 757, often referred to as “Trump Force One.”
These revelations are part of a broader collection of documents that were made public following a motion by Trump’s attorneys earlier this year, seeking more discovery evidence in the case led by special counsel Jack Smith. Smith has accused Trump of illegally retaining classified documents. Judge Cannon had previously ruled that these documents should be made public but with redactions to protect witness identities and sensitive information.
Additionally, the documents detail the FBI’s raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in South Florida in August 2022, when agents executed a search warrant to retrieve classified documents. The records specify the coordination with the United States Secret Service and list the law enforcement personnel involved in the search, including FBI agents from both Washington and Miami field offices, a Department of Justice lawyer, and a U.S. Attorney’s office official.
An interview with a witness, identified only as “Person 16,” who allegedly worked in the Trump White House, was also disclosed. According to the witness, Walt Nauta, a co-defendant in the case, was reassured by Trump’s “people” that the investigation was politically motivated and not likely to lead to serious charges. The witness recounted advising President Trump in November 2021 against giving material to the National Archives, suggesting it could provide grounds for indictment.
Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty to the charges. Trump’s legal team has filed multiple motions to dismiss the charges, although Judge Cannon denied two last month. Additionally, the lawyers for Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, another co-defendant, argued that there is no evidence De Oliveira knew the boxes he moved contained sensitive documents.
The release of these documents comes amidst ongoing efforts by Trump’s legal team to challenge the proceedings, arguing the absence of knowledge about the contents of the moved boxes as a defense for De Oliveira.
The FBI has not yet responded to requests for comments on the latest developments. The case continues to unfold, with legal battles and public interest surrounding the unprecedented investigation into a former president.
