How many warheads are on board American nuclear submarines? And how close did they get to Russian boats without being detected? Former President Trump is said to have told an Australian billionaire this.
Former US President Donald Trump is said to have shared secret information about nuclear submarines with an Australian businessman after the end of his term in office. This is reported, among others, by the US broadcaster ABC and the newspaper “New York Times”, citing people familiar with the matter.
The Republican relayed the details at a dinner at his private estate Mar-a-Lago in the US state of Florida. The Australian billionaire is said to have then spread the details about the submarines. He was questioned by the public prosecutor’s office as part of the ongoing investigation against Trump.
information about Nuclear warheads
The Australian billionaire’s name does not appear in the indictment in the case. According to media reports, it is said to be Anthony Pratt; he is the head of a large company in the packaging industry.
According to the New York Times, Trump did not show the man any secret material – but did talk to him about secret information. Specifically, according to the newspaper, the ex-president is said to have talked about how many nuclear warheads were on board the submarines and how close the submarines could get to Russian boats without being detected.
Pratt is said to have subsequently shared the information with 45 people, including Australian government officials, former Australian prime ministers and journalists, according to the ABC. It is unclear whether the information Trump revealed is true. However, Pratt has now been advised to stop disseminating the information.
Trump’s problems with the judiciary
Trump has already been indicted in several cases. The Republican is accused, among other things, of illegally storing highly sensitive information from his time as US President in private rooms. According to the indictment, these include secret documents containing information on US nuclear capabilities and military emergency plans. The Federal Police FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago property in August 2022 and confiscated various classified information there. Trump pleaded not guilty at the arraignment in Miami in June.
It was the first federal indictment for Trump. The trial is scheduled to start on May 20, 2024. The presidential elections are coming up in the USA in November 2024, where Trump wants to run for the Republican Party.