In a startling revelation, it has come to light that former US President Donald Trump purportedly divulged potentially classified details regarding US nuclear submarines to Australian billionaire Anthony Pratt. This alleged disclosure occurred three months after Trump left office, as reported by US news outlet ABC News.
Citing an inside source with knowledge of Pratt’s account provided to special counsel Jack Smith, ABC News reported that an “excited” Trump discussed specifics about the number of nuclear warheads carried by US submarines and how close they could allegedly approach a Russian submarine without detection.
Smith has charged Trump with 40 criminal counts related to his handling of classified information post-presidency. Additionally, the former president faces 17 criminal counts related to election subversion, including four federal charges by Smith and 13 in the state of Georgia. Furthermore, Trump confronts 34 charges linked to hush-money payments made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels.
Despite these legal challenges, Trump leads the Republican presidential polls by a significant margin and is the frontrunner to challenge Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential race.
Smith’s June indictment against Trump did not include any information about the alleged conversation between Trump and Pratt in April 2021.
According to ABC News, the conversation between Trump and Pratt took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida in April 2021. Pratt purportedly shared the submarine-related information almost immediately upon learning it, leaving a Trump employee who overheard shocked.
Pratt allegedly disseminated this information to over 45 individuals, including his own employees, journalists, foreign and Australian officials, and even three former Australian prime ministers. The accuracy of the information conveyed by Trump to Pratt remains unclear; however, investigators reportedly urged Pratt to refrain from repeating it.
Pratt, the head of US-based corrugated packaging firm Pratt Industries, claimed that he shared Trump’s statements as a demonstration of advocating for Australia’s interests in the US. During this period, Australia was negotiating the acquisition of nuclear submarines from the United States, a deal that was eventually finalized this year.
The report has sparked considerable concern in Australian politics, with opposition foreign affairs spokesperson Simon Birmingham suggesting that US and Australian national security officials would treat these claims with utmost seriousness. Birmingham, who played a prominent role in negotiating the Aukus security partnership between Australia and the Biden administration, emphasized the significance of US nuclear submarine technologies as the world’s most advanced.
The developing relationship between Trump and Pratt began after Trump’s ascent to the presidency in 2016, with Pratt joining Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. Notably, in 2019, Trump and Pratt attended the opening of a Pratt Industries plant in Ohio, where they exchanged compliments and discussed matters related to recycling.
In light of these revelations, questions about national security, diplomatic implications, and potential legal consequences have emerged. However, as of now, Trump has not provided an immediate response.
Former Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, when asked, confirmed that Pratt did not approach him with this information. Turnbull explained that in early 2017, Trump inquired about Australia’s decision to purchase French submarines, and Turnbull had clarified the importance of maintaining sovereignty in submarine capabilities.
The Australian government has not yet responded to the report, and requests for comments have been directed to the offices of the prime minister and the foreign minister. Pratt has also been approached for comment through his company, Visy Industries.
