Former US President, Donald Trump has blamed Special Counsel Jack Smith, the Department of Justice, and the FBI after CNN released audio that purports to show the former president discussing classified documents in his possession, in 2021.
In the clip, broadcast on CNN's
Anderson Cooper 360 , Trump appears to brag about having "highly
confidential" papers, and admits he doesn't have the power to declassify
them.
Trump pleaded not guilty in a
Miami courtroom this month to 37 counts linked to his alleged mishandling of
classified documents.
Despite his arrest, polling
indicates Trump remains the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential
nomination, meaning the former president's legal battles could play a big role
in who occupies the White House from January 2025.
The newly released recording
features Trump speaking with a staff member and a writer who was helping Mark
Meadows, his former chief of staff, work on a memoir. The former president knew
the meeting, held at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, was being recorded,
according to CNN.
During the audio clip, whilst referring to
Pentagon attack plans, Trump comments: "These are the papers. This was
done by the military and given to me.
"See as president I could
have declassified it. Now I can't, you know, but this is still a secret."
Responding to the leak on Truth
Social, Trump wrote: "The Deranged Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, working
in conjunction with the DOJ & FBI, illegally leaked and 'spun' a tape and
transcript of me which is actually an exoneration, rather than what they would
have you believe.
This continuing Witch Hunt is
another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!"
The Republican frontrunner didn't
provide any evidence that Smith, the Department of Justice or the FBI played
any role in the audio being published. CNN reports the audio recording is one
of two cases in which Trump allegedly shared classified documents with others
who lacked security clearance, according to the indictment.
Trump later added: "COULD SOMEBODY PLEASE
EXPLAIN TO THE DERANGED, TRUMP HATING JACK SMITH, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS FRIENDS,
THAT AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, I COME UNDER THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS
ACT, AS AFFIRMED BY THE CLINTON SOCKS CASE, NOT BY THIS PSYCHOS' FANTASY OF THE
NEVER USED BEFORE ESPIONAGE ACT OF 1917.'SMITH' SHOULD BE LOOKING AT CROOKED
JOE BIDDEN AND ALL OF THE CRIMES THAT HE HAS PERPETRATED ON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC,
INCLUDING THE MILLIONS & MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HE EXTORTED FROM FOREIGN
COUNTRIES!"
Post a Comment