Donald Trump's Former Press Secretary Says She Saw Trump Showing Classified Documents To Mar-A-Lago Guests

Zinger Key Points
  • Grisham said she saw Trump show documents to people at Mar-a-Lago on the dining room patio.
  • Trump has said he lacked time to review the boxes of documents and intended to do so before transferring them.

Stephanie Grisham, former White House press secretary, has said she has seen former President Donald Trump sharing classified documents with guests at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

What Happened: In an interview with MSNBC, Grisham discussed Trump's indictment over his handling of classified documents that were found at his mansion. 

"The short answer is yes," Grisham said in the interview. "I watched him show documents to people at Mar-a-Lago on the dining room patio. So, he has no respect for classified information. Never did."

She also shared her reaction to a previous interview with Trump, where he discussed documents he could have potentially declassified during his time in the White House.

"He says specifically that he should have declassified it, but he didn't. So there, I think, is proof. I believe also there's a portion of that audio where he says, you know, this is off the record," Grisham added.

"And I know Donald Trump knows the rules of reporters, and he knows if it needs to be off the record that they can't talk about it. So I think he was covering himself in that regard." 

When asked if it is "offensive" that Trump allegedly showed documents to people without the necessary regard to their sensitivity, Grisham said, "I can't stress enough how by being so loose with this stuff, he's potentially putting people in danger."

See Also: Chris Christie Tells Trump To ‘Look In The Mirror' Over Weight-Shaming Attacks: ‘Like He's Some Adonis?'

"And yeah, I had a top security clearance, and it's very, very hard to obtain. So it's essential, and it's vital to our country and our national security. Only people with these clearances can access any of these documents," she added. 

Why It Matters: In an interview with Fox News, Trump justified his possession of classified materials at Mar-a-Lago following his departure from the White House. 

Trump asserted that he lacked time to review the boxes of documents, which he intended to do before transferring them to the National Archives. When questioned about whether the documents included ones related to Iran, Trump responded, "Not that I know of." 

Last week a recording released by CNN showed Trump discussing the classified documents he retained during a meeting in New Jersey in 2021. 

The recorded conversation provides additional insight into a discussion that is evidence in special counsel Jack Smith's federal indictment against Trump. 

The charges pertain to the mishandling of classified documents and an alleged effort to obstruct their disclosure to the government. 

Read Next: Trump’s Team Pushes For Cash Payment Instead Of Bond To Save $55,500 In Jean Carroll Verdict

Photo via Shutterstock. 

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