New tape leaked of Trump speaking of classified information: CNN

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
1 Jun 2023 14:09

Former US President Donald Trump in a new leaked tape, described by CNN, discusses classified information with staffers.

Former President Donald Trump watches the first round of the LIV Golf Tournament at Trump National Golf Club, Friday, May 26, 2023, in Sterling, Va. (AP)

Former US President Donald Trump, according to CNN which cited multiple sources, acknowledged in a meeting dating back to 2021 that he had kept a classified Pentagon document containing information on a potential attack on Iran.

The new revelation comes to prove that Trump had not declassified everything in his possession and underscored that Trump, at the time, understood he retained classified material as he ended his Presidential term and exited the White House.

The recording contained remarks made by Trump that suggested he had the intention to share the classified information he had stolen from the White House but was aware of the post-presidency restrictions regarding declassifying records.

CNN made a note that it had not listened to the recording but that the information shared had been comprised of descriptions made by sources that have.

Jack Smith, the Special Counsel leading the Justice Department investigation of Trump, considered the meeting's recording an "important" piece of evidence as part of the criminal investigation into the former US President who thought he could retain classified files and "automatically" declassify them.

Reports noted that two individuals who were working on Mark Meadows' memoirs attended the July 2021 meeting at Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, along with other staffers, including communications expert Margo Martin.

According to reports, none of the guests had security clearances that would have given them access to such sensitive data. Significantly, the meeting was skipped by Meadows, sources told CNN.

While Meadows' autobiography did entail an account of what could have been 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," it remained that CNN was told that the document Trump made reference to in the leaked audio was not produced by Milley.

In turn, the Trump campaign spokesperson claimed that the "leaks" served to "inflame tensions" around Trump

"The DOJ's continued interference in the presidential election is shameful and this meritless investigation should cease wasting the American taxpayer's money on Democrat political objectives," the spokesman explained.

It is also worth noting that CNN had confronted Trump on the topic during a town hall earlier in May and asked him if he had shared any classified information with anyone, Trump responded with "Not really. I would have the right to. By the way, they were declassified after."

Earlier in March, a federal appeal in court was directed to Trump's lawyer to submit documents in the investigation into Trump's retention of classified records at his Florida estate.

The ruling was considered a significant win for the Justice Department, which for months focused on the hoarding of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and the Trump representative's resistance to turning the files over.

Prosecutors argued behind closed doors that Trump might have been using his legal representation to further a crime. It seems like the court sided with the persecutors on this one.

A three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit made the order in a brief online notice.

Details are scarce and appear to correspond with a secret fight before a lower court judge about whether Trump's lawyer could be forced to turn in documents and give testimony before a grand jury in the Justice Department.