'These are the Papers': Audio Recording of Donald Trump Discussing Classified Documents Leaks
June 26 2023, Published 9:27 p.m. ET
An audio recording of Donald Trump's 2021 conversation about classified documents was leaked, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The infamous two-minute audio tape is at the center of the ex-president's second indictment, which centered on the retention of classified documents after Trump left the White House in 2021.
In early June, after dozens of boxes of classified materials were seized from Mar-a-Lago, Trump was indicted on 37 counts that included charges under the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice.
The audio recording released Monday night on CNN's Anderson Cooper 360 was recorded during a 2021 conversation with staffers and Mark Meadow's ghostwriters at Trump's Bedminster, New Jersey.
Trump was quoted in special counsel Jack Smith's indictment as telling those present at his Bedminster club, "These are the papers."
The newly unveiled recording provided further context for the conversation, particularly the tone in which the nation's classified security materials were being discussed.
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As Trump discussed General Mark Milley and an attack on Iran with two ghostwriters, the ex-president was heard saying, "They presented me this," as the shuffle of paper could be heard.
The writers discussed the alleged "coup" against Trump by anti-MAGA government officials and the former president responded by telling them he could "show" them how he was attacked by critics.
"Well with Milley... uh... let me see that, I'll show you an example," Trump told Meadows' writers. "[Milley] said that I wanted to attack Iran."
Classified documents at Mar-a-Lago
"Isn't it amazing? I have a big pile of papers, this thing just came up. Look," Trump continued as he showed off top secret documents. "This is him. They presented me this, this is off-the-record."
Trump repeated that "they presented me this" as the sounds of apparent paper shuffling continued.
As the ex-president told those in the room, "This was [Milley], this was the defense department and him," an audible "wow" was heard from a person present.
"All sorts of stuff, pages long," Trump continued in a self-defeated tone, as he appeared to thumb through pages before he admitted the document present was "secret information."
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"Wait a minute, let's see here... I just found... isn't that amazing? This totally wins my case, you know," Trump mocked. "Except it is like, highly confidential, secret information."
The room erupted in laughter as Trump branded the document "highly confidential," before the writers
After Trump and the writers joked about Hilary Clinton's emails, Trump once acknowledged his inability to declassify information out of office.
"See as president, I could have declassified, now I can't," Trump told the writers. "Isn't that interesting?"
