In a revelation that has caused a significant stir, it is reported that Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, disclosed highly sensitive information on the United States’ nuclear submarine fleet to an Australian billionaire. Allegedly, in a confidential dialogue at the President’s opulent compound, Mar-a-Lago, in April 2021, Mr. Trump is said to have provided Anthony Pratt, an industrial magnate in the cardboard industry, with precise details about the number of nuclear warheads operated by American submarines and the proximity they could maintain to Russian vessels undetected.
The allegations are currently under thorough scrutiny by the U.S. Justice Department led by the special counsel, Jack Smith. The Justice Department initiated this probe in response to accusations of Mr Trump mishandling classified intel following his election loss in 2020.
Records provided by several sources, as detailed by ABC News, disclose that the alleged revealing remarks made by the former President were disseminated to a group of at least 45 individuals. Notably, this ensemble included the likes of three previous Australian Prime Ministers, a group of six esteemed journalists, 11 employees from Mr. Pratt’s enterprises, and a group of 10 Australian officials.
Mr. Pratt presides as the Executive Chairman of Visy Industries and Pratt Industries in the U.S. However, it’s critical to note that despite the alleged disclosure, Mr. Pratt stands uncontested with no charges of any misconduct.
Regarding this peculiar episode, the former U.S. Ambassador Joe Hockey downplayed the alleged disclosure by Mr. Trump, saying, “This is nothing new – Australians have been serving alongside American submariners for years, sharing the same technology and weaponry as the U.S. Navy.”
Additionally, it is reported that Mr. Pratt has engaged in dialogue with FBI agents and prosecutors working under Mr. Smith. These same agents slapped Mr. Trump with a staggering 40 charges related to his misconduct of classified information post his White House tenure.
The mentioned conversation is said to have taken place during the same period when secret deliberations were ongoing amongst the Australian, American, and UK governments concerning the AUKUS pact. The pact supposedly was an arrangement for Australia to procure nuclear-powered submarines.
Mr. Richard Marles, the current Defence Minister, has been reached for comments and reactions on the reports.
