Trump's own words used to build case against him

US prosecutors who indicted Donald Trump used his own words -- and notes jotted down by his lawyers -- to build the historic case against the former president.

The 49-page indictment unsealed last week accuses Trump of endangering US national security by hoarding top secret nuclear and defense documents after leaving the White House.

The indictment from special counsel Jack Smith relies heavily on statements made by Trump himself to make the legal case against the 45th US president.

It recounts one instance in which Trump described a Pentagon "plan of attack" on a US rival nation to a writer, publisher and two staff members, none of whom held security clearances.

Trump allegedly told them during the audio-recorded meeting at his golf club in New Jersey that the plan was 'highly confidential' and 'secret,'" the indictment says.

Trump is quoted as telling them "as president I could have declassified it" and "Now I can't, you know, but this is still secret."

The target of the attack is identified in the indictment only as "Country A." According to US media, the nation involved was Iran.

The indictment also uses Trump's own words to establish that he was aware -- even before winning the 2016 presidential election -- of the importance of safeguarding classified information.

"In my administration I'm going to enforce all laws concerning the protection of classified information," the then Republican presidential candidate said in August 2016. "No one will be above the law."

And as president, the indictment notes, Trump issued a statement in July 2018 stressing his "unique, Constitutional responsibility to protect the Nation's classified information."

 

 

AFP