Who is Walt Nauta?
Walt Nauta is an American butler and body man to former U.S. president Donald Trump who is a defendant in a criminal case over violations of the Espionage Act and related offenses1 He was born in Agat, Guam, and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 20012 He served as a cook and a culinary specialist in various Navy postings, including the Presidential Food Service at the White House1 He became a personal valet to Trump in 2012, and continued to work for him at his Mar-a-Lago club and residence after Trump’s term ended in 20211 He was also paid by Trump’s political action committee and his 2024 presidential campaign1
What are the charges against him?
In June 2023, Trump and Nauta were indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly mishandling national security documents and obstructing justice The charges stem from an investigation into Trump’s retention of classified and defense-related documents after he left office, which violated the Presidential Records Act and the Espionage Act3
According to the indictment, Trump directed Nauta to move boxes that contained illegally retained documents from a storage room at Mar-a-Lago to his residence, and then lied about it to federal investigators Nauta was also accused of concealing the documents from Trump’s attorney and the FBI, and scheming to conceal facts from the investigation2
Nauta faces six criminal counts punishable by up to 90 years in prison, if convicted. He pleaded not guilty to all charges and was released without having to post bond. He was ordered not to talk to other witnesses or travel outside Florida without permission
Is he married?
There is no definitive answer to this question, as Nauta has kept his personal life private and has not publicly disclosed his marital status. However, according to some sources, he is married and has five children. He reportedly lives with his family in West Palm Beach, Florida, near Mar-a-Lago.
According to Wikipedia, his full name is Waltine Torre Nauta Jr., which suggests that he is named after his father He also has five siblings, who grew up with him in Guam.
What is his relationship with Trump?
Nauta is described as a loyal and trusted aide to Trump, who has been by his side for almost a decade. He was responsible for responding to Trump’s call button, bringing him Diet Cokes on a silver platter, traveling with him to public appearances and campaign events, and assisting him with various tasks
Trump has defended Nauta on his Truth Social platform, accusing the Department of Justice of trying to destroy his life and hoping that he will say bad things about him. He also praised Nauta as a “great patriot” and a “wonderful person”
However, some analysts have speculated that Nauta could turn against Trump and cooperate with the prosecutors in exchange for a plea deal or leniency. They argue that Nauta may have been manipulated by Trump into committing crimes that he did not fully understand or consent to, and that he may have evidence or information that could implicate Trump further.