By The FirstIn an emphatic response to a controversial audio recording recently released by CNN, Former President Donald Trump branded the audio as “an exoneration.” The recording, which emerged on Monday and was first broadcast by CNN host Anderson Cooper, allegedly features Trump discussing “highly confidential, secret” documents.
Reacting to the recording, Trump took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to share his perspective. He wrote, “The Deranged Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, working in conjunction with the DOJ & FBI, illegally leaked and “spun” a tape and transcript of me which is actually an exoneration, rather than what they would have you believe. The continuing Witch Hunt is another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!”
The audio appears to have been recorded during a meeting held at Trump’s club in Bedminster, New Jersey, in July 2021. According to Cooper, attendees included a writer working on a memoir for Mark Meadows, Trump’s former Chief of Staff, the memoir’s publisher, and two of Trump’s staff members.
In the recording, the sound of paper shuffling is audible as Trump appears to describe a pile of documents. “This was [General Mark Milley.] They presented me this – this is off the record but – they presented me this. This was him. This was the Defense Department and him,” Trump is heard to say.
Seemingly with excitement, he adds, “All sorts of stuff, pages long. Let’s see here. Isn’t that amazing. This totally wins my case, you know, except that it is like highly confidential, secret, this is secret information.”
However, the former president appears to recognize his limitations post-presidency, as he remarks, “When I was president, I could have declassified it, now I can’t.”
The content of this recording contrasts sharply with a recent interview Trump gave to Fox News’ Bret Baier. During that exchange, Trump emphatically denied having any classified documents in his possession during the July 2021 meeting, stating, “There was no document.”
A spokesperson for Trump defended his position, insisting that the audio tape provides evidence that “President Trump did nothing wrong at all.” The spokesperson further added, “The President is speaking rhetorically and also quite humorously about a very perverted individual, Anthony Weiner, who was deep inside the corrupt Clinton campaign.”
As the controversy unfolds, it remains to be seen what implications, if any, the newly released recording will have on Trump’s political future.
