Trump's valet Walt Nauta was 'promised a pardon' in the classified documents scandal if ex-president was elected to a second term, FBI files reveal

Donald Trump's team promised his valet Walt Nauta that if the former president earns a second term he would be pardoned in the classified documents scandal.

Nauta, Trump's co-defendant in the case, was charged with lying to the FBI. But the valet was told that he would be pardoned if Trump earned another White House term, according to a November 2022 interview with the FBI.

The interview was given to the FBI by a witness called 'Person 16' and described as someone who worked in Trump's White House. A redacted summary was made public on Monday.

The federal classified documents trial is one of the four criminal cases against Trump. This one stems from the former president removing classified documents from the White House and bringing the materials to his residence at Mar-a-Lago after leaving office in 2021.

Walt Nauta, valet and body guard to Donald Trump, leaves Trump Tower on Tuesday in the second week of the criminal trail against the former president for hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels

Nauta (pictured with Trump in August 2023) is Trump's co-defendant in the classified documents case. He was promised by Trump's team he would be pardoned if charged with lying to the FBI in the classified documents case

One of four criminal trials against the former president includes Trump removing classified documents from the White House after his term ended in 2021 and bringing the sensitive materials to his Mar-a-Lago residence (pictured)

On Tuesday, Nauta and members of Trump's communication team were spotted leaving Trump Tower in New York City amid the second week of trial in the criminal case involving the former president's hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

The case charges Trump with falsification of business documents related to the payment and is the first to reach trial in the criminal cases against Trump.

The witness refused to be recorded during the interview. The summary indicated that Person 16 said it would be 'a far bigger risk for him in the Trump world' to have their voice or image recorded. 

'NAUTA was told by FPOTUS' people that his investigation was not going anywhere, that it was politically motivated and 'much ado about nothing,' the interview summary says.

It adds: 'NAUTA was also told that even if he gets charged with lying to the FBI, FPOTUS will pardon him in 2024.'

FPOTUS refers to 'Former President of the United States' Donald Trump.

Nauta's promised pardon is dependent on if Trump earns another White House term in the 2024 election, notes from the interview indicate.

In June 2023, Special Counsel Jack Smith charged the Navy veteran with lying to the FBI and obstructing the investigation into removal of classified documents from the White House instead of turning them over to the National Archives.

Trump was also charged in the case with obstruction and mishandling of classified and national defense information.

Both Nauta and Trump pleaded not guilty.

A new unsealed interview with Person 16, described as someone who worked in Trump's White House, reveals that Nauta was promised a pardon if the former president won another term in 2024

A Justice Department image shows boxes of documents spilling out onto the floor of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida

Person 16 has not spoken with Nauta since Trump was in office, according to the redacted summary of the FBI interview.

It also does not indicate how the witness was aware of the promised pardon.

The witness visited Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida several times after Trump's presidency and during a November 2021 visit had told the former president to give 'whatever' documents he had back to the National Archives.

'Let them come here and get everything. Don't give them a noble reason to indict you, because they will,' the witness told Trump, according to the witness' account revealed in the summary.