Tape undercuts Trump claims of declassifying Mar-a-Lago papers
‘‘The illegally leaked . . . Document story is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt of all time.’’ Donald Trump
Former President Donald Trump was reportedly caught on audiotape bemoaning the fact that he did not declassify a secret plan for potential US military attacks on Iran – contradicting his claims that he declassified all the documents he took from the White House.
The Guardian reported yesterday that Trump was captured on tape telling associates at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf resort that he wished he could show them the document but he was barred from doing so because it was classified.
The admission would give powerful ammunition to prosecutors that
Trump did not declassify the cache of documents he took to his Mara-Lago resort – and that he knew it.
Trump slammed the new revelations yesterday as a politically motivated hoax, although he did not deny any of the claims.
‘‘The illegally leaked . . . Document story is a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt of all time,’’ Trump wrote on his social media site.
The existence of the damning audiotape was first reported by CNN on Wednesday. The network says special counsel Jack Smith has a copy of it and prosecutors have asked several witnesses about it before the grand jury investigating Trump’s improper handling of classified documents.
Trump allegedly waved the classified document and discussed it in summer 2021 with researchers for a memoir by ex-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
The former president wanted to use the document to undermine the credibility of Gen. Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who feuded with the former president during his turbulent final days in the White House.
Showing classified documents, especially sensitive ones describing potential foreign adversaries, to third parties who don’t have appropriate security clearances would likely violate the Espionage Act. Knowingly refusing to return them to the feds when hit with a subpoena would be evidence of obstruction of justice.
The document used by Trump was apparently one of scores of secret documents he took with him to his Mar-a-Lago resort after leaving the White House.
During the Bedminster interview, Trump said the document revealed Milley supported attacking Iran with overwhelming force, contradicting the general’s later claim that he opposed hostilities with Tehran.
Trump pointed to the discrepancy as a way of deriding Milley, who embarrassed Trump by revealing to military colleagues his decision not to carry out some orders from Trump after the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
If the account of the audiotape and the classified document proves correct, it would amount to some of the most weighty evidence yet against Trump in the classified documents case.
It would also help explain Trump’s motive for refusing to return the documents after the feds demanded them back.
Smith is reportedly all but done presenting evidence to the grand jury, which has not met in three weeks. Published reports say he could decide to seek indictments of Trump and perhaps others in the coming ‘‘days or weeks’’.