Donald Trump on Monday night responded to newly obtained audio of the former president discussing his retention of secret documents, acknowledging their classified status, and joking about how it was too late to declassify them.
The tape, first obtained by CNN, was allegedly made at Trump’s golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, in 2021. Its existence and part of its transcript were reported earlier this month by CNN.
In the two-minute tape, Trump can be heard shuffling records and describing his “big pile of paper” to the people in the room. “Isn’t it amazing?… They presented me this—this is off the record,” Trump says, apparently in reference to a document concerning Gen. Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Two other people make noises of astonishment at what they’re being shown.
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As Trump goes on to call the records “highly confidential” and full of “secret information,” a staffer in the room turns the conversation to Hillary Clinton, mocking her for printing out “her private emails.”
Trump responds, “No, she’d send it to Anthony Weiner.”
Posting to Truth Social after the release of the audio, Trump took aim at prosecutor Jack Smith and claimed, without explaining, that the audio is an exoneration of his alleged crimes.
“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,” Trump wrote.
The former president added: “This continuing Witch Hunt is another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!”
Read it at CNN
