Trump Appoints Former Aide Indicted in Classified Documents Case to U.S. Naval Academy Board
Truth Social
President Donald Trump announced on Friday night that he named a former indicted co-conspirator of his to the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors.
Walt Nauta was federally indicted along with Trump in 2023 by Special Counsel Jack Smith, who said Trump willfully retained classified documents after leaving office in 2021 and obstructed the government’s effort to retrieve them. Smith alleged that Nauta – then a Trump aide – and Carlos de Oliveira – the property manager at Mar-a-Lago where the documents were stored – attempted to interfere with the Department of Justice’s investigation.
Last year, Trump appointee Judge Aileen Cannon tossed the indictment against Trump on dubious legal grounds. In February, a court dismissed the charges against Nauta and de Oliveira less than a month after Trump was sworn into office.
On Friday, Trump appointed Nauta – a 20-year veteran of the Navy – to the Naval Academy’s Board of Visitors. The president also named Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) – Trump’s former White House physician – and former Trump White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer to the board. Rep. Derek Van Orden (R-WI) also got the nod:
Our GREAT United States Naval Academy needs a new Board of Visitors. I am pleased to announce that an incredible group of Patriots will serve on the Board— Walt Nauta, Sean Spicer, “Doc Ronnie” Jackson, and Derek Van Orden. Together they will ensure continued Greatness for the Academy!
According to the Academy’s website, “The duty of the Academy’s Board of Visitors is to inquire into the state of morale and discipline, the curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods, and other matters relating to the academy which the Board decides to consider.”
Trump has named several friends and acquaintances to his administration and various non-political posts. Shortly before nominating Nauta, the president appointed Fox News hosts Laura Ingraham and Maria Bartiromo to serve on the board of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
