Leak Suspect: Trump Isn't Held, So Why Am I?

The Massachusetts Air National Guard member accused of sharing military secrets on social media platform Discord filed an appeal Monday, arguing he should be released from prison while awaiting trial—just like former President Trump. Jack Teixeira, 21, has been in custody since his April 13 arrest. A judge sided with prosecutors who argued he was a flight and security risk who could disseminate classified information, including to hostile foreign nations, if he was released on bail. But that argument "is squarely undermined by the government's reasoned decision not to seek pretrial detention in other espionage cases," including that of Trump and his co-defendant Walt Nauta, lawyers say, per CNN.

Trump and Nauta are both "charged with, among other things, mishandling classified national security information and conspiracy to obstruct justice." Yet the government "determined that their retained knowledge did not pose a serious risk of flight and advocated for their release on personal recognizance and without restriction," according to the appeal. It adds Trump and Nauta possess "extraordinary means to flee the United States" since Trump has properties in foreign countries and access to a private jet. But "the risk of flight posed by their knowledge of national security information, and their abnormal ability to flee, didn't even result in a request that either surrender their passport."

This shows the government's argument for "Teixeira's pretrial detention based on knowledge he allegedly retains is illusory," the lawyers say. They add Teixeira has no financial ability or incentive to flee and that the home of his father, monitored "24/7 with Ring cameras," is "specially equipped" for him to stay during pretrial proceedings, per CBS News. Lawyers argue Teixera wouldn't hurt his parents, who've agreed to post their homes as bond, by fleeing. If he were to flee, "he would destroy his parents' financial stability, rob them of their homes, and betray the support they have shown." None of this is new information to the judge, who denied an earlier request to reconsider Teixera's pre-trial detention. (More Jack Teixeira stories.)