The classified documents that former US President Donald Trump took with him after the end of his term are now being reviewed by the US secret services. They should check if national security was under threat and who had access to the files — most recently Trump wanted to delay an investigation. A judge in the US state of Florida has also announced that she will appoint a special representative to review the FBI’s investigation into ex-President Donald Trump.
The magazine “Politico” reported on the investigation by the secret services on Saturday, citing a letter from secret service coordinator Avril Haines to high-ranking employees. Accordingly, it should be clarified whether there were any national security risks from Trump’s Villa Mar-a-Lago storage in Florida. “The Department of Justice and the Office of the U.S. Intelligence Coordinator are collaborating to facilitate a classification review of relevant material, including material recovered during the search,” Haines wrote.
Did unauthorized persons have access?
According to the report, the secret services could also check whether unauthorized persons had access to the documents. This can be criminally relevant. Just by keeping the documents on his private property, Trump could have broken the law. This is now being investigated. Haines is the intelligence coordinator in the administration of Trum’s successor, Joe Biden. The current president commented on the raid on Saturday (see video above). Whether the president is allowed to take documents home depends on what they are, Biden said.
Judge Aileen Cannon, in turn, said in Florida on Saturday (local time), “The court announces its preliminary intent to appoint a special representative in this case.” Trump filed a lawsuit Monday to defend himself against the actions of the authorities. The Republican wants, among other things, to appoint a neutral accountant.
Trump wanted to block tests
On Friday, the US Justice Department partially disclosed the basis on which the ex-president’s living quarters were searched on August 8. Trump then renewed his request. A so-called “special captain” is to oversee the examination of the documents seized during the operation, according to a motion filed in court by his lawyers. Until then, “the US government may no longer participate in the investigation of the documents”. Judge Cannon has now announced that a hearing will be held on Thursday. She was appointed a judge by Trump during his presidency in 2020.
The Justice Department in Washington released the document Friday, based on a court order authorizing the search of the Mar-a-Lago private residence in Palm Beach. However, about half of the more than 30 pages have been blacked out to protect sensitive information. The document also details the FBI’s initial suspicions against Trump. It was also revealed that he had previously returned numerous confidential, classified and top secret documents to the National Archives.
25 “Top Secret” Documents
Accordingly, 14 of the 15 boxes of papers the 76-year-old had sent to the National Archives from Mar-a-Lago earlier this year contained confidential and sometimes top-secret documents. 184 documents were classified: 67 as “confidential”, 92 as “secret” and 25 as “top secret”. Some had handwritten notes — probably by Trump himself. The FBI complained that classified documents had been found along with other papers.
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.
