Anthony Pratt, an Australian billionaire and member of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, has stated that the former President informed him about his confidential discussions with the leaders of Ukraine and Iraq. These claims were brought to light through reports that surfaced on Sunday, which featured private recordings of Pratt. These recordings are significant as they play a role in the ongoing case against Trump concerning classified documents.
Both The New York Times and “60 Minutes Australia” unveiled these previously undisclosed recordings, where Pratt vividly recounts his interactions with Trump. These recordings further the existing claims that Trump might have divulged sensitive governmental information.
In these tapes, Pratt alleges that Trump provided insider insights about his telephonic conversations with global leaders during his tenure as President. Furthermore, Pratt did not hold back in his critique of Trump’s personal ethics.
It was previously reported by CNN that Pratt had been interviewed by special counsel Jack Smith. Smith has charged Trump with mishandling national security materials by retaining numerous classified documents at Mar-a-Lago in Florida. Trump has since pleaded not guilty to these charges. Pratt is also slated to be a witness in the trial set for May.
The heart of this case revolves around concerns regarding Trump’s lax attitude towards state secrets. Earlier reports from ABC News suggested that Trump might have shared potentially sensitive details with Pratt about US nuclear submarines. The recent reports provide a more comprehensive view of Pratt’s accounts of their discussions, encompassing foreign policy topics.
In one of the recordings that became public on Sunday, Pratt recalls a conversation where Trump mentioned, “I just bombed Iraq today.” Pratt also recounted Trump’s description of a call with the Iraqi President, Barham Salih, from December 2019. According to Pratt, Trump relayed that the Iraqi President had said, “You just leveled my city,” to which Trump reportedly responded, “OK, what are you going to do about it?”
The recordings also hint at Trump discussing his controversial September 2019 call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky with Pratt. This call, where Trump allegedly pressured Zelensky to launch corruption investigations into Joe Biden to aid his 2020 election campaign, was the foundation of Trump’s first impeachment.
In response to The New York Times, Trump emphasized Pratt’s Australian origins, highlighting the friendly ties between the two nations. However, he did not refute the conversations described in the recordings. A representative for Trump mentioned that the tapes “lack proper context.”
CNN has sought comments from both the Trump campaign and Pratt’s company, Visy.
These recent revelations might be leveraged by Smith’s prosecution team as evidence showcasing Trump’s habit of sharing sensitive governmental details with unauthorized individuals, including political donors and influential businessmen. It remains uncertain if the prosecution was already in possession of the tapes unveiled on Sunday.
The recordings also offer a glimpse into Pratt’s unfiltered opinions about Trump’s conduct. In one of the tapes, Pratt likened Trump’s business methods to “the mafia” and mentioned that Trump “says outrageous things nonstop.”