JUST IN: Trump Insists Recording of Him Showing Off ‘Secret’ Documents is ‘Actually an Exoneration’

AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana

Former President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that a recording of him allegedly showing off “highly confidential” and “secret” Iran documents to guests was “actually an exoneration.”

CNN aired the recording on Monday evening, during which Trump could be heard showing off his White House documents, which he admitted were “highly confidential” and “secret information.”

“These are the papers. This was done by the military and given to me,” he told his guests. “See, as president I could have declassified it. Now I can’t, you know, but this is still a secret.”

After CNN aired the recording, Trump took to Truth Social to claim that the audio had been “spun” and that it was “actually an exoneration” of him in his fight against criminal charges over his retention of government documents.

“The Deranged Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, working in conjunction with the DOJ & FBI, illegally leaked and ‘spun’ a tape and transcript of me which is actually an exoneration, rather than what they would have you believe,” he wrote. “This continuing Witch Hunt is another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!”

Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 counts against him this month, including wilful retention of national defense information and conspiracy to obstruct justice. The former president has repeatedly insisted that he was legally permitted to retain the documents and could have declassified them at any time.

UPDATE: Trump added a new ALL CAPS reply to the leaked audio story in the 6 AM hour of Tuesday, writing:

COULD SOMEBODY PLEASE EXPLAIN TO THE DERANGED, TRUMP HATING JACK SMITH, HIS FAMILY, AND HIS FRIENDS, THAT AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, I COME UNDER THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT, AS AFFIRMED BY THE CLINTON SOCKS CASE, NOT BY THIS PSYCHOS’ FANTASY OF THE NEVER USED BEFORE ESPIONAGE ACT OF 1917. “SMITH” SHOULD BE LOOKING AT CROOKED JOE BIDDEN AND ALL OF THE CRIMES THAT HE HAS PERPETRATED ON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC, INCLUDING THE MILLIONS & MILLIONS OF DOLLARS HE EXTORTED FROM FOREIGN COUNTRIES!

So there you go.

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