In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump found himself on the defensive, responding to allegations surrounding his handling of classified documents post-presidency. Megyn Kelly, the interviewer, pressed Trump on the scandal, leading to a series of tense exchanges that have since captured significant media attention.
As reported, Trump allegedly took classified documents from the White House after his term ended, an act that is considered illegal. This action has led to his arrest and subsequent indictment. However, during the interview, Trump was adamant about his innocence, stating, "I did nothing wrong because I come on to the Presidential Record saying the fascists who are going after me and they're not going after Biden – even though he has about 10 times more documents may be more than that, he has documents going back 40 years or 50 years – we did nothing wrong."
Trump further elaborated on his stance, emphasizing his rights under the Presidential Records Act. "I come under the Presidential Records Act, I'm allowed to have these documents. It's a very simple ... number one it's civil, it's not criminal at all. This is all about the Presidential Records Act. I'm allowed to have these documents, I'm allowed to take these documents classified or not classified. And frankly, when I have them, they become unclassified."
Kelly, not one to back down, continued her line of questioning, challenging Trump's assertions. When she probed him about a specific incident involving a newspaper he had waved during a meeting, Trump responded, "I’m not going to talk to you about that because that’s already been [I think] very substantiated, and there's no problem with it."
The former president repeatedly emphasized his belief that he did nothing wrong, stating, "Here we go again. I'm covered by the Presidential Records Act. I'm allowed to do what I want to do, I'm allowed to have documents. The Presidential Records Act is civil, not criminal … And civil and I’m uncovered by it 100 percent, and this shouldn’t even be a case."
However, Kelly countered Trump's claims, pointing out the legal obligations surrounding subpoenas. "Once you get a subpoena, you have to turn it over," she remarked. Trump shot back, labeling his critics as "Democrat fascists" and accusing them of election interference.
The interview reached a particularly heated moment when Kelly asked, "Do you believe that every CIA document that came to you as president was automatically yours to keep no matter what?" Trump's response was curt: "I'm not going to answer that question."
This latest controversy adds to the series of legal challenges Trump has faced since leaving office. As the debate rages on, it underscores the complexities and polarizing nature of political discourse in contemporary America.