After leaving the White House, former US President Donald Trump took with him at least 700 pages of classified documents, according to the US National Archives. Some of them have been classified with the highest levels of secrecy, according to a letter to a Trump attorney the archive published Tuesday evening. These are documents stored at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and transferred in January.
The US media reported unanimously on Tuesday about the letter, which is dated May 10 – the “New York Times” put it online. The letter goes on to say that the government must “assess the potential damage arising from the apparent manner in which these materials were stored and transported”. FBI’s search of the ex-president’s house two weeks ago. Further documents, some classified as top secret, were secured.
The search had caused a stir outside the United States. Trump had argued that he had released the seized documents from his presidency. Incumbent presidents have far-reaching powers to lift secrecy. But for the release of documents there is a formal procedure with some very official steps. Trump also claimed that there was a standing corresponding instruction for all documents taken home.
Attempts to stop investigations
Trump filed a lawsuit against the administration only on Monday, demanding that a neutral investigator be used for the most recently seized documents and that all investigations be halted until then. Trump’s taking of the documents could be a criminal offence. However, the 76-year-old describes the Justice Department’s actions against him as politically motivated and has been flirting for weeks with the idea of running for president again in 2024.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
