By Kaitlan Collins, Paula Reid, Sara Murray, Jeremy Herb and Kristen Holmes | CNN
The Justice Department recently informed Donald Trump’s legal team that he is a target in a federal investigation into the possible mishandling of classified documents, sources familiar with the matter told CNN, a sign that prosecutors may be moving closer to indicting the former president.
The sources have been informed of the target letter and its contents but had not seen it themselves.
Prosecutors’ decision to inform Trump he’s a target crystallizes that special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation is focused on Trump’s actions and not just the actions of people around him.
Trump’s legal team met with DOJ officials, including Smith, about the investigation on Monday. The meeting focused on the Trump legal team presenting their allegations of misconduct by prosecutors. Smith did not say anything beyond greeting those in the room in the meeting, that source said.
Justice Department regulations allow for prosecutors to notify subjects of an investigation that they have become a target. Often a notification that a person is a target is a strong sign an indictment could follow, but it is possible the recipient is not ultimately charged.
Those notifications aren’t required, but prosecutors have the discretion to notify subjects that they have become a target. Once informed, a target has the opportunity to present evidence or testify to the grand jury if they choose.
Trump, in an interview with The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman on Wednesday, would not say whether he had been told he was a target in the special counsel’s investigation, but he denied that he had been told he would be indicted.
Multiple people who talked to Trump at length this week told CNN they were confused by the news and said Trump did not raise that he was a target or seem agitated.
Smith’s investigation into the potential mishandling of classified materials and possible obstruction of…
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