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Trump Captured On Tape Talking About Classified Document He Kept After
Leaving The White House



Federal prosecutors have obtained an audio recording of a summer 2021
meeting in which former President Donald Trump acknowledges he held onto a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran, multiple
sources told CNN, undercutting his argument that he declassified
everything.

The recording indicates Trump understood he retained classified material
after leaving the White House, according to multiple sources familiar with
the investigation. On the recording, Trump’s comments suggest he would
like to share the information but he’s aware of limitations on his ability post-presidency to declassify records, two of the sources said.

CNN has not listened to the recording, but multiple sources described it.
One source said the relevant portion on the Iran document is about two
minutes long, and another source said the discussion is a small part of a
much longer meeting.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the Justice Department investigation into Trump, has focused on the meeting as part of the
criminal investigation into Trump’s handling of national security secrets. Sources describe the recording as an “important” piece of evidence in a possible case against Trump, who has repeatedly asserted he could retain presidential records and “automatically” declassify documents.

Prosecutors have asked witnesses about the recording and the document
before a federal grand jury. The episode has generated enough interest for investigators to have questioned Gen. Mark Milley, one of the highest-
ranking Trump-era national security officials, about the incident.

The July 2021 meeting was held at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New
Jersey, with two people working on the autobiography of Trump’s former
chief of staff Mark Meadows as well as aides employed by the former
president, including communications specialist Margo Martin. The
attendees, sources said, did not have security clearances that would allow
them access to classified information. Meadows didn’t attend the meeting, sources said.

Meadows’ autobiography includes an account of what appears to be the same meeting, during which Trump “recalls a four-page report typed up by
(Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) Mark Milley
himself. It contained the general’s own plan to attack Iran, deploying
massive numbers of troops, something he urged President Trump to do more
than once during his presidency.”

The document Trump references was not produced by Milley, CNN was told.

Investigators have questioned Milley about the episode in recent months,
making him one of the highest-ranking national security officials from
Trump’s administration to meet with the special counsel’s team. Milley’s spokesman Dave Butler declined to comment to CNN.

The revelation that the former president and commander-in-chief has been captured on tape discussing a classified document could raise his legal exposure as he continues his third bid for the White House.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing. CNN has reached out to a lawyer and
spokesman for the former president.

When asked at a CNN town hall this month if he showed classified documents
he kept after the presidency to anyone, Trump answered: “Not really. I
would have the right to. By the way, they were declassified after.”

A lawyer for Meadows declined to comment. A lawyer for Martin declined to comment.

Smith’s investigation has shown signs of nearing its end, though it hasn’t
yet resulted in any criminal charges. A spokesman for the special
counsel’s office declined to comment for this story.

Trump was outraged at New Yorker story on Milley and Iran

The recording that’s now in the hands of prosecutors shows they are not
only looking at Trump’s actions regarding classified documents recovered
from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, but also at what happened at
Bedminster a year earlier.

The meeting in which Trump discussed the Iran document with others
happened shortly after The New Yorker published a story by Susan Glasser detailing how, in the final days of Trump’s presidency, Milley instructed
the Joint Chiefs to ensure Trump issued no illegal orders and that he be informed if there was any concern. The story infuriated Trump.


Glasser reported that in the months following the election, Milley
repeatedly argued against striking Iran and was concerned Trump “might set
in motion a full-scale conflict that was not justified.” Milley and others talked Trump out of taking such a drastic action, according to the New
Yorker story.

On the recording and in response to the story, Trump brings up the
document, which he says came from Milley. Trump told those in the room
that if he could show it to people, it would undermine what Milley was
saying, the sources said. One source says Trump refers to the document as
if it is in front of him.

Several sources say the recording captures the sound of paper rustling, as
if Trump was waving the document around, though is not clear if it was the actual Iran document. There’s also laughter in the room that’s captured on
the recording.


The meeting took place well before Trump’s team shipped 15 boxes of presidential records and classified documents back to the National
Archives and Records Administration in January 2022 after months of back- and-forth between his team and the records agency.

The Justice Department later obtained additional documents with classified markings from Trump, seizing more than 100 during a search of Mar-a-Lago
last August. Trump’s legal team hired people to search other Trump
properties, including Bedminster, late last year.

Investigators from the special counsel’s office also have asked in their document handling and obstruction investigation about other scenarios in
which Trump may have shown national security documents, such as maps, to others, sources say. They’ve also asked several witnesses to share details about Trump’s anger toward Milley.

During the summer of 2021, sources say multiple people were making
recordings of Trump as he held conversations with journalists and
biographers.


Trump’s different explanations on the declassified documents

Trump and his attorneys have given several different, often conflicting, explanations for why Trump didn’t intentionally retain classified
materials in violation of federal law. 

Initially, Trump allies argued he had a “standing declassification order”
so that documents removed from the Oval Office were immediately
declassified.  A few weeks later, Trump told Fox News that he could
declassify things “just by thinking about it.”

Earlier this year, Trump’s legal team told Congress that classified
material was inadvertently packed up at the end of the administration.
Most recently, Trump told CNN at a town hall that materials were
“automatically declassified” when he took them.

However, there’s no indication Trump followed the legally mandated declassification process, and his attorneys have avoided saying so far in
court whether Trump declassified records he kept.

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Trump Captured On Tape Talking About Classified Document He Kept After
Leaving The White House



Federal prosecutors have obtained an audio recording of a summer 2021
meeting in which former President Donald Trump acknowledges he held onto a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran, multiple
sources told CNN, undercutting his argument that he declassified
everything.

The recording indicates Trump understood he retained classified material
after leaving the White House, according to multiple sources familiar with
the investigation. On the recording, Trump’s comments suggest he would
like to share the information but he’s aware of limitations on his ability post-presidency to declassify records, two of the sources said.

CNN has not listened to the recording, but multiple sources described it.
One source said the relevant portion on the Iran document is about two
minutes long, and another source said the discussion is a small part of a
much longer meeting.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the Justice Department investigation into Trump, has focused on the meeting as part of the
criminal investigation into Trump’s handling of national security secrets. Sources describe the recording as an “important” piece of evidence in a possible case against Trump, who has repeatedly asserted he could retain presidential records and “automatically” declassify documents.

Prosecutors have asked witnesses about the recording and the document
before a federal grand jury. The episode has generated enough interest for investigators to have questioned Gen. Mark Milley, one of the highest-
ranking Trump-era national security officials, about the incident.

The July 2021 meeting was held at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New
Jersey, with two people working on the autobiography of Trump’s former
chief of staff Mark Meadows as well as aides employed by the former
president, including communications specialist Margo Martin. The
attendees, sources said, did not have security clearances that would allow
them access to classified information. Meadows didn’t attend the meeting, sources said.

Meadows’ autobiography includes an account of what appears to be the same meeting, during which Trump “recalls a four-page report typed up by
(Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) Mark Milley
himself. It contained the general’s own plan to attack Iran, deploying
massive numbers of troops, something he urged President Trump to do more
than once during his presidency.”

The document Trump references was not produced by Milley, CNN was told.

Investigators have questioned Milley about the episode in recent months,
making him one of the highest-ranking national security officials from
Trump’s administration to meet with the special counsel’s team. Milley’s spokesman Dave Butler declined to comment to CNN.

The revelation that the former president and commander-in-chief has been captured on tape discussing a classified document could raise his legal exposure as he continues his third bid for the White House.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing. CNN has reached out to a lawyer and
spokesman for the former president.

When asked at a CNN town hall this month if he showed classified documents
he kept after the presidency to anyone, Trump answered: “Not really. I
would have the right to. By the way, they were declassified after.”

A lawyer for Meadows declined to comment. A lawyer for Martin declined to comment.

Smith’s investigation has shown signs of nearing its end, though it hasn’t
yet resulted in any criminal charges. A spokesman for the special
counsel’s office declined to comment for this story.

Trump was outraged at New Yorker story on Milley and Iran

The recording that’s now in the hands of prosecutors shows they are not
only looking at Trump’s actions regarding classified documents recovered
from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, but also at what happened at
Bedminster a year earlier.

The meeting in which Trump discussed the Iran document with others
happened shortly after The New Yorker published a story by Susan Glasser detailing how, in the final days of Trump’s presidency, Milley instructed
the Joint Chiefs to ensure Trump issued no illegal orders and that he be informed if there was any concern. The story infuriated Trump.


Glasser reported that in the months following the election, Milley
repeatedly argued against striking Iran and was concerned Trump “might set
in motion a full-scale conflict that was not justified.” Milley and others talked Trump out of taking such a drastic action, according to the New
Yorker story.

On the recording and in response to the story, Trump brings up the
document, which he says came from Milley. Trump told those in the room
that if he could show it to people, it would undermine what Milley was
saying, the sources said. One source says Trump refers to the document as
if it is in front of him.

Several sources say the recording captures the sound of paper rustling, as
if Trump was waving the document around, though is not clear if it was the actual Iran document. There’s also laughter in the room that’s captured on
the recording.


The meeting took place well before Trump’s team shipped 15 boxes of presidential records and classified documents back to the National
Archives and Records Administration in January 2022 after months of back- and-forth between his team and the records agency.

The Justice Department later obtained additional documents with classified markings from Trump, seizing more than 100 during a search of Mar-a-Lago
last August. Trump’s legal team hired people to search other Trump
properties, including Bedminster, late last year.

Investigators from the special counsel’s office also have asked in their document handling and obstruction investigation about other scenarios in
which Trump may have shown national security documents, such as maps, to others, sources say. They’ve also asked several witnesses to share details about Trump’s anger toward Milley.

During the summer of 2021, sources say multiple people were making
recordings of Trump as he held conversations with journalists and
biographers.


Trump’s different explanations on the declassified documents

Trump and his attorneys have given several different, often conflicting, explanations for why Trump didn’t intentionally retain classified
materials in violation of federal law. 

Initially, Trump allies argued he had a “standing declassification order”
so that documents removed from the Oval Office were immediately
declassified.  A few weeks later, Trump told Fox News that he could
declassify things “just by thinking about it.”

Earlier this year, Trump’s legal team told Congress that classified
material was inadvertently packed up at the end of the administration.
Most recently, Trump told CNN at a town hall that materials were
“automatically declassified” when he took them.

However, there’s no indication Trump followed the legally mandated declassification process, and his attorneys have avoided saying so far in
court whether Trump declassified records he kept.

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XPost: or.politics, alt.atheism

Trump Captured On Tape Talking About Classified Document He Kept After
Leaving The White House



Federal prosecutors have obtained an audio recording of a summer 2021
meeting in which former President Donald Trump acknowledges he held onto a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran, multiple
sources told CNN, undercutting his argument that he declassified
everything.

The recording indicates Trump understood he retained classified material
after leaving the White House, according to multiple sources familiar with
the investigation. On the recording, Trump’s comments suggest he would
like to share the information but he’s aware of limitations on his ability post-presidency to declassify records, two of the sources said.

CNN has not listened to the recording, but multiple sources described it.
One source said the relevant portion on the Iran document is about two
minutes long, and another source said the discussion is a small part of a
much longer meeting.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is leading the Justice Department investigation into Trump, has focused on the meeting as part of the
criminal investigation into Trump’s handling of national security secrets. Sources describe the recording as an “important” piece of evidence in a possible case against Trump, who has repeatedly asserted he could retain presidential records and “automatically” declassify documents.

Prosecutors have asked witnesses about the recording and the document
before a federal grand jury. The episode has generated enough interest for investigators to have questioned Gen. Mark Milley, one of the highest-
ranking Trump-era national security officials, about the incident.

The July 2021 meeting was held at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New
Jersey, with two people working on the autobiography of Trump’s former
chief of staff Mark Meadows as well as aides employed by the former
president, including communications specialist Margo Martin. The
attendees, sources said, did not have security clearances that would allow
them access to classified information. Meadows didn’t attend the meeting, sources said.

Meadows’ autobiography includes an account of what appears to be the same meeting, during which Trump “recalls a four-page report typed up by
(Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) Mark Milley
himself. It contained the general’s own plan to attack Iran, deploying
massive numbers of troops, something he urged President Trump to do more
than once during his presidency.”

The document Trump references was not produced by Milley, CNN was told.

Investigators have questioned Milley about the episode in recent months,
making him one of the highest-ranking national security officials from
Trump’s administration to meet with the special counsel’s team. Milley’s spokesman Dave Butler declined to comment to CNN.

The revelation that the former president and commander-in-chief has been captured on tape discussing a classified document could raise his legal exposure as he continues his third bid for the White House.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing. CNN has reached out to a lawyer and
spokesman for the former president.

When asked at a CNN town hall this month if he showed classified documents
he kept after the presidency to anyone, Trump answered: “Not really. I
would have the right to. By the way, they were declassified after.”

A lawyer for Meadows declined to comment. A lawyer for Martin declined to comment.

Smith’s investigation has shown signs of nearing its end, though it hasn’t
yet resulted in any criminal charges. A spokesman for the special
counsel’s office declined to comment for this story.

Trump was outraged at New Yorker story on Milley and Iran

The recording that’s now in the hands of prosecutors shows they are not
only looking at Trump’s actions regarding classified documents recovered
from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, but also at what happened at
Bedminster a year earlier.

The meeting in which Trump discussed the Iran document with others
happened shortly after The New Yorker published a story by Susan Glasser detailing how, in the final days of Trump’s presidency, Milley instructed
the Joint Chiefs to ensure Trump issued no illegal orders and that he be informed if there was any concern. The story infuriated Trump.


Glasser reported that in the months following the election, Milley
repeatedly argued against striking Iran and was concerned Trump “might set
in motion a full-scale conflict that was not justified.” Milley and others talked Trump out of taking such a drastic action, according to the New
Yorker story.

On the recording and in response to the story, Trump brings up the
document, which he says came from Milley. Trump told those in the room
that if he could show it to people, it would undermine what Milley was
saying, the sources said. One source says Trump refers to the document as
if it is in front of him.

Several sources say the recording captures the sound of paper rustling, as
if Trump was waving the document around, though is not clear if it was the actual Iran document. There’s also laughter in the room that’s captured on
the recording.


The meeting took place well before Trump’s team shipped 15 boxes of presidential records and classified documents back to the National
Archives and Records Administration in January 2022 after months of back- and-forth between his team and the records agency.

The Justice Department later obtained additional documents with classified markings from Trump, seizing more than 100 during a search of Mar-a-Lago
last August. Trump’s legal team hired people to search other Trump
properties, including Bedminster, late last year.

Investigators from the special counsel’s office also have asked in their document handling and obstruction investigation about other scenarios in
which Trump may have shown national security documents, such as maps, to others, sources say. They’ve also asked several witnesses to share details about Trump’s anger toward Milley.

During the summer of 2021, sources say multiple people were making
recordings of Trump as he held conversations with journalists and
biographers.


Trump’s different explanations on the declassified documents

Trump and his attorneys have given several different, often conflicting, explanations for why Trump didn’t intentionally retain classified
materials in violation of federal law. 

Initially, Trump allies argued he had a “standing declassification order”
so that documents removed from the Oval Office were immediately
declassified.  A few weeks later, Trump told Fox News that he could
declassify things “just by thinking about it.”

Earlier this year, Trump’s legal team told Congress that classified
material was inadvertently packed up at the end of the administration.
Most recently, Trump told CNN at a town hall that materials were
“automatically declassified” when he took them.

However, there’s no indication Trump followed the legally mandated declassification process, and his attorneys have avoided saying so far in
court whether Trump declassified records he kept.

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)