Trump Captured on Secret Audio Tape
May 31 2023, Published 7:17 p.m. ET
Federal prosecutors obtained an audio recording of Donald Trump, taken from the summer of 2021, in which he bragged about possessing classified documents after he left office, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The former president has been at the center of a probe by the Department of Justice, spearheaded by special counsel Jack Smith, on the handling of the nation's top secret security materials.
The investigation led to the recovery of a treasure trove of documents, which included those at the highest level of classified information, at Trump's home and private club, Mar-a-Lago.
According to CNN, multiple sources familiar with the audio tape's content shared that based on Trump's conversation, he was aware that he was in possession of classified documents since leaving office.
Additionally, insiders revealed a particularly damning portion of the tape, during which Trump discussed a potential attack on Iran — and his comments appeared to suggest that he had information to share, but was hesitant to do so based on classification protocol.
Never miss a story — sign up for the RadarOnline.com newsletter to get your daily dose of dope. Daily. Breaking. Celebrity news. All free.
Trump's remarks were said to have allegedly acknowledged his inability to declassify materials since he was no longer president.
Sources claimed Trump spent about two minutes discussing the Pentagon documents he retained out of office.
Overall, the part of the conversation that centered on the potential attack on Iran was described as a small portion of a lengthy meeting.
Insiders branded the audio "important" evidence that could potentially be used against Trump, who has insisted that the powers of the presidency allowed him to "automatically" declassify sensitive materials at his own discretion.
Prosecutors appeared to have taken the recording seriously — and questioned witnesses about the audio clip and Pentagon document before a grand jury.
General Mark Milley, a top-ranking security official during the Trump administration, was also questioned by investigators on the recording.
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
The meeting appeared to take place at Trump's Bedminister golf club in New Jersey. Trump was joined by two individuals working on chief of staff Mark Meadows' autobiography, as well as aides and employees. No one present held security clearances that would allow for the discussion of classified information.
A snippet of Meadows' autobiography appeared to discuss the meeting, which Meadows was not present for.
The autobiography detailed Trump as he "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."
A spokesperson for Trump's third presidential campaign dismissed the recording's allegations as another means to "inflame tensions" around the embattled ex-president.
