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Trump’s Truth Social rant about “productive meeting” with Jack Smith’s team quickly falls apart

Trump disputed reports that he was tipped off on indictment — after saying so himself days earlier

Staff Reporter

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Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks June 10, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
Republican presidential candidate former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks June 10, 2023 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Special counsel Jack Smith's team told former President Donald Trump's lawyers to expect an indictment in the Justice Department's investigation into the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol riot and efforts to overturn the election, according to multiple news outlets.

Trump confirmed the meeting in a post to Truth Social Thursday afternoon but disputed reports that his legal team received notice of a potential indictment and urged his followers to ignore the "Fake News" coverage of the session. "My attorneys had a productive meeting with the DOJ this morning, explaining in detail that I did nothing wrong, was advised by many lawyers, and that an Indictment of me would only further destroy our Country," Trump wrote. "No indication of notice was given during the meeting — Do not trust the Fake News on anything!"

Reporters pointed out that the target letter federal prosecutors sent to Trump's lawyers last week was his indication. "He says no notice of a pending indictment. (Though the target letter is essentially that)," tweeted CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins. "I'm pretty sure Trump's lawyers were on notice to expect an indictment when they got a target letter! Trump himself said the next step was likely arrest and indictment," tweeted Politico reporter Kyle Cheney.

By Tatyana Tandanpolie

Tatyana Tandanpolie is a staff reporter at Salon. Born and raised in central Ohio, she moved to New York City in 2018 to pursue degrees in Journalism and Africana Studies at New York University. She is currently based in her home state and has previously written for local Columbus publications, including Columbus Monthly, CityScene Magazine and The Columbus Dispatch.


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