In a dramatic turn of events, two former aides of former U.S. President Donald Trump are set to enter pleas in federal court in Florida on Thursday. Walt Nauta, Trump's valet, and Carlos De Oliveira, a property manager at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort home in Palm Beach, are facing charges related to unlawfully taking classified documents with them after Trump left office.

The charges stem from a year-long investigation by Special Counsel Jack Smith's team into Trump's retention of classified documents, which included some of the nation's most closely held secrets. Prosecutors claim that Trump stored the documents haphazardly at Mar-a-Lago, even going as far as keeping them in places like bathrooms, showers, and ballrooms. Shockingly, he allegedly showed classified information to unauthorized individuals at his golf resort in Bedminster, New Jersey.

Nauta finds himself accused of moving boxes of documents at Mar-a-Lago in an attempt to hide them from Trump's lawyer and federal investigators. He is also accused of trying to delete security camera footage. Both Nauta and De Oliveira face additional charges of lying to the FBI.

These criminal charges represent one of three cases that Trump is currently facing as he campaigns for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. He has pleaded not guilty to 40 counts of unauthorized retention of national defense information, obstruction of justice, and false statements. Apart from the charges in Florida, Trump is also facing charges in Georgia related to his efforts to overturn his election loss in that state.

In the upcoming court proceedings, De Oliveira is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shaniek Mills Maynard in Fort Pierce, Florida, to enter a plea on the four charges brought against him. Last week, he was released on a $100,000 signature bond but did not enter a plea as he had not yet retained counsel in Florida. Meanwhile, Nauta is set to appear for a second arraignment in the case. Surprisingly, Trump has waived his right to appear at the proceeding and has pleaded not guilty to the additional charges.

The new indictment against De Oliveira includes charges of altering, destroying, mutilating, or concealing an object, corruptly altering, destroying, mutilating, or concealing a document or record, conspiracy to obstruct justice, and making false statements during a voluntary interview with federal investigators. The indictment also includes new charges against Trump, such as obstruction counts and an additional count of unlawful retention of national defense information. This case against Trump involving the mishandling of government documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago is the first of two cases brought against him by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Trump on charges related to his attempts to stay in office after the 2020 presidential election, including falsifying business records. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has labeled them as part of a political plot against him. However, the use of an out-of-state grand jury by Special Counsel Jack Smith in this investigation has raised concerns. Federal Judge Aileen Cannon, who is overseeing the case, denied a motion to seal filings and requested additional information about the use of the out-of-state grand jury. Cannon has sought clarification on the legal propriety of using an out-of-district grand jury to investigate and seek post-indictment hearings on matters related to the case.

The trial for the classified documents case is scheduled to begin in May 2024, amidst the Republican presidential primaries. Trump and his aides maintain their innocence and continue to portray the charges as politically motivated attacks against him. Adding to the tension, the former president has hinted at the possibility of a fourth indictment in the near future as part of an ongoing investigation by a district attorney into his efforts to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election.