Trump Reportedly Claimed Mar-A-Lago Documents Belonged To Him

Topline

Former President Donald Trump told National Archives officials that a trove of documents held at his Mar-a-Lago property belonged to him and that he planned to put them in his presidential library, according to a Wednesday Wall Street Journal report, a day after the Washington Post reported Trump tried to fight FBI efforts to review documents handed over to the National Archives in January.

Former President Donald Trump’s residence in Mar—a-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida is shown.

AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

In months-long conversations with National Archives officials, Trump argued he should be allowed to have the documents, saying people “put this stuff in their library” the Journal reported, while the New York Times reported earlier this week Trump had described the documents as “mine,” with both outlets citing sources familiar with the discussions.

The former president tried to delay the FBI’s review of records the National Archives recovered from the president’s Mar-a-Lago home in January because Trump’s lawyers wanted more time to figure out if the records were protected by executive privilege, the Post reported, citing sources familiar with the investigation, court filings as well as email correspondences.

Trump also ignored chances to settle the matter and give back any classified records still in his possession in addition to the documents recovered in January, the Post reported.

The news comes after Trump’s lawyers claimed in court filings on Monday the former president had been cooperating with the Justice Department in its investigation.

Crucial Quote

Some of the records seized in the Mar-a-Lago search are “among the most sensitive secrets we hold,” a person familiar with the search told the Post, while two anonymous sources told the outlet the documents could offer “carefully guarded secrets” about U.S. intelligence strategies.

Big Number

More than 300. That’s how many documents marked as classified the government has seized from Trump since he left the White House, including more than 150 in January, according to the New York Times.

Key Background

The FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on August 8, breaking into Trump’s safe and seizing 20 total boxes of documents, including classified records, according to the search warrant released by the Justice Department. The raid was a part of a broader probe launched by the Justice Department into why boxes of Trump administration government records—including classified documents—were being held at the Mar-a-Lago property. The National Archives said in February it had recovered 15 boxes from Trump’s residence. Under the Presidential Records Act, White House documents must be preserved and given to the National Archives once a president leaves office. The raid came after federal agents were concerned documents still remained at the property, after serving a grand jury subpoena and spending months trying to negotiate with the former president to recover the documents in a less invasive way, according to the Journal and the Post. Trump’s lawyers have asked a federal judge to appoint an independent “special master” to review whether the documents taken from Mar-a-Lago are private or privileged.

What To Watch For

A federal judge last week ordered the Justice Department to send a redacted version of the affidavit federal officials used to obtain a search warrant for Mar-a-Lago, after the DOJ said it would not release the document because it could obstruct the ongoing investigation. The judge indicated he may release parts of the affidavit, a document several major media outlets have argued should be public.