Stephanie Grisham, a former aide to Melania Trump, has alleged that she observed ex-President Donald Trump presenting confidential papers to unapproved individuals, an incident distinct from those outlined in the recent indictment, according to Radar Online.
Grisham, who previously held the position of Press Secretary and Communications Director under the Trump administration, was featured on MSNBC's Alex Witt's show over the weekend.
As part of their discussion, Witt probed Grisham on Trump's treatment of classified information in the wake of the 37-count indictment against him for mishandling classified files.
Grisham intimated she was not startled by the criminal charges, having witnessed Trump flaunting classified materials to others on Mar-a-Lago's outdoor dining area.
To Witt's inquiry, “Could it be conceivable that Trump was privately displaying classified documents to others?”, Grisham responded affirmatively. She recounted, “I saw him display documents to individuals at Mar a Lago on the patio. Therefore, he holds no regard for classified data. He never did."
Listening to these claims, she continued, "riles me up every time. He distinctly talks about how he should have declassified the information, yet he didn’t. Therein, I believe, lies proof. I think in a section of the audio, he is heard saying that the conversation is off the record. Trump is well aware of the rules of reporting, and knows if something needs to be off the record, it cannot be discussed.”
She emphasized that Trump seemed to be guarding himself in this context. Reflecting on the stringent process to obtain a security clearance, Grisham highlighted how it was held back once due to an unnoticed $13 childcare bill. "People don't grasp the rigorous process it takes to secure classified authorization," she explained.
Grisham underlined the gravity of the situation, stating, "Sharing such sensitive information with those who haven't undergone extreme vetting endangers national security and does a disservice to the country."
In response to the investigation and indictment relating to this matter, Trump dismissed it as a "witch hunt."