Prosecutors Reportedly Have A Tape Of Trump Saying He Kept Classified Paper On Iran After Leaving Office

Federal prosecutors have reportedly Donald Trump on tape saying that he had kept a classified Pentagon document about a potential attack on Iran.

What Happened: The presence of such a recording would indicate that the former president held on to classified material after relinquishing office, reported CNN, citing multiple sources.

The recording was described to the network by its sources, although CNN did not listen to it itself.

Prosecutors have asked witnesses concerning the recording and the document in front of a federal grand jury. Those conducting the probe also reportedly questioned Gen. Mark Milley — a high-ranking national security official during the Trump presidency — about the incident.

The report referenced a July 2021 meeting held at Trump's Bedminster golf club where individuals involved in former chief of staff Mark Meadow's autobiography and Trump's former aides, including Margo Martin, gathered. CNN's sources said that the attendees didn't have the security clearances needed to access classified information, and Meadows wasn't himself present.

The autobiography of Meadows includes a description of the same meeting in which Trump "recalls a four-page report typed up by" Milley, which contained the general's plan to attack Iran. However, the document Trump referenced on the tape was not created by Milley, according to CNN sources.

See Also: Trump Feared Getting Assassinated By Iran As Payback For Soleimani’s Killing Despite Public Bravado, New Book Says

Why It Matters: The meeting where the Iran document came up reportedly took place much before Trump sent 15 boxes of presidential records and classified documents to the National Archives and Records Administration in January 2022, noted CNN.

In a possible case against Trump, the recording could be an "important" piece of evidence, according to CNN sources.

The Trump recording could reportedly heighten his legal exposure as he makes a third attempt at the presidency. He is currently the Republican frontrunner. 

The Trump campaign has decried the "leaks" and said these are meant to "inflame tensions" surrounding the former U.S. leader, according to CNN.

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