During a portion of an interview with the Fox News Channel aired on Monday’s broadcast of the Fox News Channel’s “Special Report,” 2024 Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump stated that he needed to get his personal items that were mixed into the boxes he had in his possession out “And I was very busy,” “But everything was declassified.”
Trump said, [relevant remarks begin around 2:05] “So, like every other President, I take things out. And in my case, I took it out pretty much in a hurry, but people packed it up and we left. And I had clothing in there. I had all sorts of personal items in there much, much stuff.”
He added, “I will go through those boxes. I have to go through those boxes. I take out personal things. As far as the levels at all, everything was declassified, because I had the right to declassify. … I have every right to have those boxes. This is purely a Presidential Records Act. This is not a criminal thing. In fact, The New York Times of all had a story just the other day that the only way NARA could ever get this stuff, this back would be please, please, please could we have it back?”
Host Bret Baier then asked, “And they asked for that. They did ask for it.”
Trump responded, “No — and I gave them some and we were talking.”
Trump added, “I had boxes. I want to go through the boxes and get all my personal things out. I don’t want to hand that over to NARA yet. And I was very busy, as you’ve sort of seen.”
Baier then asked, “But according to the indictment, you then tell this aide to move to other locations after telling your lawyers to say you’d fully complied with the subpoena, when you hadn’t.”
Trump responded, “Before I send boxes over, I have to take all of my things out. These boxes were interspersed with all sorts of things, golf shirts, clothing, pants, shoes, there were many things. I would say much, much more.”
Baier then asked if there were Iran war plans in the boxes. Trump responded, “Not that I know of. But everything was declassified.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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