Former President Donald Trump on Monday defended his retention of classified materials after leaving the White House, telling Fox News he had not had time to go through the boxes filled with the documents.
“Why not just hand them over then?” anchor Bret Baier asked in Trump’s first interview since being arraigned last week on federal charges.
“Because I had boxes. I want to go through the boxes and get all my personal things out,” Trump responded. “I don’t want to hand that over to [thr National Archives] yet. And I was very busy as you’ve sort of seen.”
Baier noted that the Justice Department’s indictment laid out how Trump allegedly told an aide to move this boxes containing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate while also telling his lawyers to indicate he was cooperating.
“Before I send boxes over, I have to take all of my things out,” Trump said from his club in Bedminster, N.J., where the interview was filmed. “These boxes were interspersed with all sorts of things, golf shirts, clothing, pants, shoes, there were many things.”
Asked if he was aware of Iran documents being among the items in the boxes, Trump said, “not that I know of,” while claiming everything was declassified that he had taken with him.
Trump pleaded not guilty last Tuesday to charges on 37 counts following a Department of Justice indictment alleging he violated both the Espionage Act and obstructed justice in taking classified records from his presidency and refusing to return them.
Trump was indicted in connection with the investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith, with the unsealed document revealing Trump would also be facing charges on concealing documents and making false statements.
The indictment alleged that Trump kept the documents in various rooms of his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, which frequently hosted large events and gatherings. It also alleged Trump on two separate occasions spoke about specific classified materials with staffers at his New Jersey club who did not have security clearances.