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Audio Reveals Trump Showed “Highly Confidential” Document to Publisher, Writer and Aides

HeadlineJun 27, 2023

Newly published audio reveals former President Trump showed a classified Pentagon document to a publisher, a writer and two staffers during a conversation at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club two years ago. In the tape, Trump is heard shuffling through papers as he describes a top-secret Pentagon document revealing a plan by Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair Gen. Mark Milley to attack Iran.

Donald Trump: “Well, with Milley — uh, let me see that. I’ll show you an example. He said that I wanted to attack Iran. Isn’t it amazing? I have a big pile of papers. This thing just came up. Look.”

The recording, which was first aired by CNN, contradicts Trump’s recent claim on Fox News that he did not have classified documents with him in the July 2021 meeting.

Donald Trump: “Wait a minute. Let’s see here. I just found — isn’t that amazing? This totally wins my case, you know. Except it is, like, highly confidential, secret. This is secret information.”

Trump faces 31 counts of violating the Espionage Act through the “willful retention” of classified records. He also faces counts of obstruction of justice and false statements at a federal trial in Miami scheduled for August 14. We’ll have more on this story later in the broadcast.

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