Donald Trump remains committed to Prince Harry facing a criminal prosecution if he is found to have lied about his drugs use in his visa application, The Mail on Sunday has learned.
The US President said last week he would not deport the Duke of Sussex, claiming he has punishment enough with his ‘terrible’ wife. But sources close to Mr Trump say he has ‘vowed transparency’ and will back legal action.
Anyone lying about drug use on a US visa application faces up to five years in jail, a fine or deportation.
In his 2023 memoir Spare, Harry admitted using cocaine, marijuana and magic mushrooms. If he had admitted that when arriving in the US in 2022, he would have needed a visa waiver after interview.
Washington think-tank The Heritage Foundation has been fighting to have Department of Homeland Security data released to discover if Harry told the truth and whether he got special treatment.
Judge Carl Nichols had initially ruled all documents should be kept private.
But in documents filed on Thursday, he ordered details of a secret ‘in camera’ meeting last summer between himself and lawyers for the DHS to be turned over to The Heritage Foundation.
A source said: ‘President Trump has made it very clear that if Harry is found to have not told the truth on his visa application, then he could face prosecution.
Harry has been ‘blanketed’ (pictured) – the highest honour Canada’s indigenous Tsleil-Waututh people can confer – during a break from his Invictus Games
Donald Trump remains committed to Prince Harry facing a criminal prosecution if he is found to have lied about his drugs use in his visa application, The Mail on Sunday has learned
The US President said last week he would not deport the Duke of Sussex, claiming he has punishment enough with his ‘terrible’ wife. But sources close to Mr Trump say he has ‘vowed transparency’ and will back legal action
‘If Harry answered the drugs question truthfully, that would have triggered a visa waiver process whereby he would have been interviewed and given a waiver. If that is the case, the public has a right to know.’
The source added: ‘President Trump has said he won’t deport Harry but there is no doubt he would support a prosecution.
‘What is interesting… is the judge admitted holding a secret meeting with lawyers for the government without telling lawyers representing Heritage.
‘That is highly unusual, if not unprecedented. It’s highly pertinent the judge has admitted Heritage has a right to see the non-public documents.’
The source warned that Harry is ‘far from off-the-hook’, adding: ‘The word in Washington is he should be very worried indeed. There is no love lost between the Sussexes and President Trump.’
Meghan has branded Mr Trump divisive and misogynistic. He, in turn, ridiculed Harry, telling the New York Post last week: ‘I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.’
At the Invictus Games in Canada, Harry seemed to take a swipe back at Mr Trump, criticising the ‘weak moral character in the world’.
The MoS understands new Attorney General Pam Bondi expects Harry’s case ‘to be handled like any other immigration case’.
Meghan has branded Mr Trump divisive and misogynistic. He, in turn, ridiculed Harry, telling the New York Post last week: ‘I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible’
At the Invictus Games in Canada, Harry seemed to take a swipe back at Mr Trump, criticising the ‘weak moral character in the world’ (pictured, Harry giving a speech at the opening ceremony of the Games)
The source said: ‘Pam wants justice served – it doesn’t matter if you’re a prince or a pauper. If he lied, then he will be prosecuted.’
Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation, said last night: ‘The American people have a right to know whether or not Harry was honest.
‘If Prince Harry lied on his immigration application that would be a federal criminal offense and he could face prosecution in the United States.’
Heritage Foundation lawyer Samuel Dewey said: ‘We are glad the judge is taking our case seriously and we look forward to reviewing the new material.’
Meanwhile, Harry has been ‘blanketed’ – the highest honour Canada’s indigenous Tsleil-Waututh people can confer – during a break from his Invictus Games.
He received the hand-woven robe at a day care centre in Vancouver yesterday. A post on Harry and Meghan’s Sussex.com said it was a ‘profoundly moving moment’.
Joan Noren
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