In a new statement, former President Donald Trump explained why he did not return classified documents he took from the White House, saying he was “swamped” and did not have time to separate them from his personal belongings.
In an interview with Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier, Trump made the remarks.
Asked why he didn’t return the bankers’ boxes full of documents after the National Archives and Justice Department subpoenaed him, Trump responded, “Because I had boxes, I wanted to go through the boxes and get out all my things.
As you have probably seen, I was swamped and do not wish to hand it over to NARA yet.”
Baier read from the Justice Department’s June 8 indictment, which charged Trump with 37 counts of mishandling national security information and obstructing justice. Over 300 classified documents were recovered more than a year after He left office, most under subpoena in June 2022 or during an FBI investigation in August 2022.
According to the indictment, you instructed this aide to move the boxes to other locations after telling your attorneys that you had fully complied with the subpoena.
In response, Trump stated, “Before I ship boxes over, I have to take everything out of my home.” He explained that the boxes contained a wide range of objects.
In his June 13 arraignment in Miami, He pleaded not guilty to the charges and agreed not to speak with his co-defendant, former White House valet Walt Nauta, or the dozens of witnesses the Justice Department intends to call.
In the months since the FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate last August, He has maintained that he has the right to keep the documents, partly due to his power as President to declassify them, even if he took no specific action.
An order issued by a federal judge on Monday prohibits Trump from accessing discovery evidence in his classified documents case without his lawyer present and from sharing the information with the public.
Trump’s Reasons for Not Returning Documents
- If the documents are returned, President Trump may become anxious about the likelihood of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and legal scrutiny.
- If President Trump believes that the documents contain sensitive information or can be used against him, he may assert they are protected by executive privilege.
- It is possible that the President will only be willing to return some of the documents that have been requested owing to the possibility of committing perjury if the documents contain erroneous information.
- It is possible that President Trump is concerned that returning the documents may hurt his political standing and invite additional scrutiny from the public.
- It’s possible that President Trump is concerned that the act of returning the documents will establish a precedent that all succeeding presidents will follow.
Consideration Of Trump’s Acts In More General Terms
Donald Trump actions as President of the United States have had far-reaching implications not only within the United States but also internationally. Internationally, Trump is recognized as a controversial leader who has disrupted traditional approaches to foreign policy and challenged the international order.
As a result of his actions, including the withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, the imposition of trade tariffs on other countries, and his inflammatory rhetoric on Twitter, the US has experienced deep rifts with its allies and emboldened its adversaries.
Due to his inward-looking policies, it has also been challenging to answer complex questions regarding economic globalization and the future of the international order.
As a result of his actions, the country has become increasingly polarized, and tensions between different political factions have increased. In addition to his divisive political rhetoric, many policies have been characterized as discriminatory or even unconstitutional, particularly regarding immigration and race.
Donald Trump’s actions have caused controversy worldwide and significant divisions within the United States. Although the long-term impacts of his presidency are still unclear, it is clear that his decisions will have a lasting impact on the United States and the world.
