Former president Donald Trump has said that he didn’t exhibit classified documents in the leaked audio clip in which he referred to “extremely confidential” materials, claiming he was merely talking with “bravado.”
Mr Trump’s feedback come after CNN published audio of him apparently exhibiting a map of the right way to assault Iran to a author who was serving to Mr Trump’s former chief of employees Mark Meadows put collectively his memoirs. The audio is a part of Particular Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into Mr Trump’s improper dealing with of documents associated to nationwide safety.
“I’d say it was bravado, if you wish to know the fact, it was bravado,” Mr Trump instructed Semafor and ABC Information aboard his airplane. “I used to be speaking and simply holding up papers and speaking about them, however I had no documents. I didn’t have any documents.”
In the audio, Mr Trump is heard saying “I’ve a giant pile of papers, this factor simply got here up. Look. This was him. They offered me this – that is off the document however – they offered me this. This was him. This was the Protection Division and him.” He’s later heard saying, “See as president I might have declassified it” earlier than including, “Now I can’t, you understand, however that is nonetheless a secret.”
Throughout his interview with Semafor and ABC Information aboard his aircraft, Mr Trump gestured to a stack of papers that featured newspapers, copies of articles and speech texts. When requested about his use of the phrase “plans” in his interview with Fox Information, Mr Trump mentioned he was referring to enterprise plans.
“Did I take advantage of the phrase plans?” he mentioned. “What I’m referring to is magazines, newspapers, plans of buildings. I had plans of buildings. , constructing plans? I had plans of a golf course.”
Mr Trump additionally mentioned he didn’t remorse his dealing with of classified documents.
“No, I’ve no regrets,” he mentioned. “I did not have a classified doc. There was no classified doc on my desk.”
