Former President Donald Trump is lashing out following a report claiming that federal prosecutors have an audio recording of him discussing his possession of a classified document after leaving office.
CNN reported on Wednesday that prosecutors obtained a July 2021 recording of Trump speaking about keeping a classified document that purportedly details a potential attack on Iran. Special Counsel Jack Smith is leading dual Department of Justice (DOJ) criminal investigations into Trump’s post-presidency handling of classified documents and his January 6 activities.
The recording reportedly features Trump saying that the Iran document was not declassified, despite the former president having repeatedly claimed that he “automatically” declassified all of the documents he kept after leaving office. CNN also reported that it features Trump discussing the document with multiple associates who did not have required security clearances.
Within hours of the report being published, the former president seemingly responded in an angry Truth Social post that denounces “leaking” from “persecutors” that he says are attempting to aid Democrats and interfere with his status as the leading Republican candidate in the 2024 presidential election.
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Trump appeared to reference the recent resignation of former Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins, who was accused of multiple ethics violations this month, while apparently calling for “an investigation” into federal prosecutors who may have leaked details of the supposed recording to CNN.
“Massachusetts’ top federal prosecutor leaked sensitive information from the Justice Department in an effort to help a friend win an election, and hurt the opponent,” wrote Trump. “The prosecutor just resigned. Big ramifications.”
“BUT WAIT, all of the Democrat ‘Persecutors’ that are trying to Interfere with the 2024 Presidential Election are leaking constantly, and illegally, about me,” he continued. “Will they be resigning, and will there be an investigation into their leaking? There should be!”
In an all-caps post just over an hour later, Trump wrote “ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” without directly referencing the “leaking” prosecutors.
Legal experts have suggested that the recording cited by CNN, if it exists, could mean that Trump will soon be facing a federal criminal indictment.
Ryan Goodman, former special counsel to the general counsel of the U.S. Department of Defense, predicted that Trump “will be charged” with federal crimes under the Espionage Act in a tweet shortly after the report was published.
Andrew Weissmann, former assistant U.S. attorney, said during an MSNBC appearance that it was “game over” for Trump if the recording exists, adding that there is “no way that he will not be charged.”
Trump, who is already facing 34 state felony charges of falsifying business records in New York, has denied any wrongdoing in multiple criminal investigations and civil suits, arguing that all of his legal troubles are part of a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
In a statement to Newsweek, a Trump spokesperson said that the CNN report was based on “leaks from radical partisans” who want “to inflame tensions and continue the media’s harassment of President Trump and his supporters.”
Newsweek has reached out to the DOJ online for comment.