New evidence in special counsel probe may undercut Trump’s claim documents he took were automatically declassified
Anderson Cooper 360
CNN
3.7 • 3.8K Ratings
🗓️ 18 May 2023
⏱️ 44 minutes
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| 0:00.0 | Good evening. |
| 0:01.0 | We begin tonight with exclusive new CNN reporting that goes straight to the question, |
| 0:05.3 | did the former president willfully disregard what he knew to be clearly established procedures |
| 0:09.8 | involving classified documents? |
| 0:11.6 | In other words, did he know the right and wrong way of handling those items when he took |
| 0:15.9 | them from the White House tomorrow, Lago? |
| 0:17.6 | Tonight, CNN is learning that the National Archives is ready to hand over records to special |
| 0:22.1 | counsel Jack Smith showing that the former president and his top adviser certainly did know. |
| 0:26.6 | CNN Special Correspondent, JB Gengell, joins us. |
| 0:29.1 | Now just walk us through your reporting, Jamie. |
| 0:32.0 | Anderson, CNN has obtained this letter that was sent by the National Archives, as you said, |
| 0:37.6 | informing former president Trump that it is set to hand over the 16 presidential records |
| 0:44.1 | there from his administration, which show that Trump and his top advisers were aware of |
| 0:51.2 | the proper declassification process when he was president. |
| 0:55.0 | Our understanding is that the special counsel wants these records for the grand jury because |
| 1:00.2 | they may provide critical evidence that despite Trump's claims that he automatically |
| 1:05.9 | declassified all documents that he took, he was in fact aware that there was a correct |
| 1:12.1 | process to save card classified material and it didn't just happen with the wave of |
| 1:18.0 | a hand. |
| 1:19.3 | In the letter acting archivist Wal writes to Trump, quote, |
| 1:24.1 | the 16 records in question all reflect communications involving close presidential advisers, some |
| 1:31.0 | of them directed to you personally concerning whether, why and how you should declassify certain |
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