Donald Trump on Friday denied wrongdoing in his handling of security tapes sought by federal investigators, a day after prosecutors added new charges alleging the former president ordered employees at his Florida resort to delete the videos.
Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, posted on his Truth Social website:
"At the direction of Crooked Joe Biden and his Weaponized DOJ, Deranged Jack Smith is attempting to destroy the lives of two fine people who have worked for me (and have done a great job!) for a long time. They are being persecuted with one goal, to 'Get Trump.' This is textbook Third World intimidation by rabid, lawless prosecutors. These same craven tactics were used, and failed, during the Russia, Russia, Russia Witch Hunt and other Hoaxes. We will not let Radical Lunatics destroy our Country!"
The former president said in an interview with radio host John Fredericks that he believed he wasn't required to hand over security tapes from his Mar-a-Lago resort but did so anyway.
"These were security tapes. We handed them over to them. ... I'm not even sure what they're saying," he said.
U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith filed three new criminal counts against Trump on Thursday, bringing the total to 40, and charged a maintenance worker at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, Carlos De Oliveira, with conspiracy to obstruct justice, accusing him of helping Trump to hide documents.
De Oliveira, 56, told another worker at the resort where Trump lives that "the boss" wanted security videos of the property in Florida deleted after the Justice Department subpoenaed them.
Prosecutors also charged De Oliveira with lying to the FBI during a voluntary interview, falsely claiming he had no involvement in moving boxes of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
De Oliveira's lawyer did not respond to a Reuters' request for comment.
"They went after two fine employees yesterday, fine people," Trump said. "They're trying to intimidate people so that people go out and make up lies about me. Because I did nothing wrong."
Trump also said he would not end his 2024 presidential campaign if he is convicted and sentenced on the various charges against him.
Newsmax staff contributed.