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Former US President Donald Trump allegedly passed sensitive information about America’s nuclear submarine fleet to an Australian billionaire, reports have claimed.
US news channel ABC News reports that Mr Trump told cardboard industrialist Anthony Pratt in a conversation at the president’s lavish Florida compound, Mar-a-Lago, that the true number of nuclear weapons carried by US submarines and whether they were undetected were unknown. How close can the planted Russian boats get? In April 2021.
The US Justice Department, led by special counsel Jack Smith, is currently investigating Mr Trump for mishandling classified information following his defeat in the 2020 election.
According to ABC News, Mr Trump’s comments were delivered to at least 45 people, including three former Australian prime ministers, six journalists, 11 of his staffers and 10 Australian officials.
Mr. Pratt is the executive chairman of Visi Industries and Pratt Industries in the United States.
He is not accused of any wrongdoing.
Mr Pratt has been contacted for comment and to confirm the reports.
The New York Times reports that Joe Hockey, the former ambassador to the US, has downplayed Mr Trump’s alleged revelations.
“If that was all that was discussed, we already know all that,” Mr Hockey told the US media outlet.
“We have had Australians serving with the Americans on American submarines for years, and we share the same technology and the same weapons as the US Navy.”
ABC News also reported that Mr. Pratt has spoken to FBI agents and prosecutors who worked for Mr. Smith, who filed 40 charges against Mr. Trump for alleged misuse of classified information after he left the White House.
The news channel relied on unnamed sources for its reports.
The reported conversation between Mr Trump and Mr Pratt came at a time when the Australian, US and UK governments were locked in secret discussions over the AUKUS agreement, an agreement for Australia to acquire nuclear-powered submarines.
Defense Minister Richard Marles has been contacted for comment on the report.
