CNN Exclusive: 'Ludicrous.' 'Ridiculous.' 'A complete fiction.': Former Trump officials say his claim of 'standing order' to declassify is nonsense

[Scott]

Washington (CNN)In the days since the FBI seized classified and top secret documents from Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort, the former President and his allies have claimed that Trump had a "standing order" to declassify documents he took from the Oval Office to the White House residence.

But 18 former top Trump administration officials tell CNN they never heard any such order issued during their time working for Trump, and that they believe the claim to be patently false.

 

Several officials laughed at the notion. One senior administration official called it "bullsh*t." Two of Trump's former chiefs of staff went on the record to knock down the claim.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/08/18/politics/trump-claim-standing-order-declassify-nonsense-patently-false-former-officials/index.html

 

[Bluespunk]

trump makes stuff up?

 

Quelle Surprise. 

[Chomper Higgot]

It’s very easy.

 

Trump has made a clear unequivocal statement that he issued a ‘Standing Order’.

 

Where is the temporaneus record of this order?

 

The nature of the claim, and the fact it can be so very easily checked gives us all a big blue of how desperate Trump.

 

Well, that and his ‘mobster threat to the AG of the US.

 

 

[Jerno]

He's such a f.liar...how do people respect him enough to vote for him.  

[placeholder]

Even if that were true, it doesn't take away from the fact that under the law he signed, it's a crime to take such documents to locations that are insecure.

[ballpoint]

Trump and team's ranting, a brief (and self contradictory) time line:

All documents were returned already, these must have been planted.

Release the warrant!  Oh, you have.  Okay then, release the affidavit!

But, but, Obama has documents!

He was allowed to have these documents.

He declassified them just by removing them from the White House.

Release the security camera footage!  Oh, we have that, but aren't releasing it.

You'd better not take this any further.  His followers are getting angry, and you don't want that to happen!

 

It's as if they're doing an action replay of the events leading up to Jan 6th, just in case the committee happened to miss anything first time round.  And Trump only hires the best people?   If room temperature is the IQ ceiling, then maybe he does.

[pomchop]

Surprise Surprise Surprise

 

Just make it up as you go and keep the kool aide flowing.

[candide]

Trump telling ridiculous lies. He did it so many times.... 

[simple1]

trump has completely lost the plot with his attacks on the FBI. trump's abuse of 'free speech' is astonishing. That people still support him is unbelievable. Recent example of trump's BS..

 

"The law enforcement of our country has become that of a Third World nation and I do not believe that people will stand for it. Never in our country's history has there been a time where law enforcement has been so viciously and violently involved in the life and times of politics in our nation. They have no shame. They are destroying our country."

 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-former-fbi-agent-discusses-threats-against-the-agency-since-the-search-of-trumps-home

[LarrySR]

6 hours ago, Jerno said:

He's such a f.liar...how do people respect him enough to vote for him.  

They like him because he is deplorable. 

[candide]

2 hours ago, simple1 said:

trump has completely lost the plot with his attacks on the FBI. trump's abuse of 'free speech' is astonishing. That people still support him is unbelievable. Recent example of trump's BS..

 

"The law enforcement of our country has become that of a Third World nation and I do not believe that people will stand for it. Never in our country's history has there been a time where law enforcement has been so viciously and violently involved in the life and times of politics in our nation. They have no shame. They are destroying our country."

 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/a-former-fbi-agent-discusses-threats-against-the-agency-since-the-search-of-trumps-home

It seems that even at Fox News, some people are worried about it!

"DOOCEY: Well, and Senator absolutely Congress has oversight over the FBI and the Department of Justice and everything else. The problem is over the last week or so there's been so much violent rhetoric directed at the FBI and I heard somebody printed FBI stands for Fascist Bureauof Investigation or something like that. And unfortunately, now the people who work at the FBI headquarters, you know, there are death threats and all sorts of stuff."

 https://news.yahoo.com/fox-news-steve-doocy-explains-133200884.html

[Yankeesvsredsox]

Cnn the most trusted news network ???? Just a observation!

“Why Donald Trump’s declassification claim might not be that outlandish“

 

Patel has contended that among the seized files at Mar-a-Lago were documents connected to the FBI and DOJ’s investigation of contacts between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. In a statement Friday, Patel said these documents were among those declassified by Trump in the closing days of his presidency. He has argued that Trump had unilateral power to declassify anything, and in fact did so in sweeping fashion with verbal and written orders.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/15/trump-declassify-national-security-president-00052054

 

Verbal should be sufficient enough for the trump left hating news and their supporters! Presidents can declassify without a paper trail.

Once this gets litigated in court you’ll find bidens Gastopo was over reaching again ! Hasnt it been reported that the fbi and doj have been extremely deceitful in the past when it comes to the best President  since Reagan .

"After years where FBI agents were found to be acting on political motivation during our administration, the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed," 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fbi-search-mar-a-lago-republicans-investigations-justice-department/

[Chomper Higgot]

55 minutes ago, Yankeesvsredsox said:

Cnn the most trusted news network ???? Just a observation!

“Why Donald Trump’s declassification claim might not be that outlandish“

 

Patel has contended that among the seized files at Mar-a-Lago were documents connected to the FBI and DOJ’s investigation of contacts between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. In a statement Friday, Patel said these documents were among those declassified by Trump in the closing days of his presidency. He has argued that Trump had unilateral power to declassify anything, and in fact did so in sweeping fashion with verbal and written orders.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/15/trump-declassify-national-security-president-00052054

 

Verbal should be sufficient enough for the trump left hating news and their supporters! Presidents can declassify without a paper trail.

Once this gets litigated in court you’ll find bidens Gastopo was over reaching again ! Hasnt it been reported that the fbi and doj have been extremely deceitful in the past when it comes to the best President  since Reagan .

"After years where FBI agents were found to be acting on political motivation during our administration, the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed," 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fbi-search-mar-a-lago-republicans-investigations-justice-department/

Repeating this nonsense doesn’t make it true.

[placeholder]

57 minutes ago, Yankeesvsredsox said:

Cnn the most trusted news network ???? Just a observation!

“Why Donald Trump’s declassification claim might not be that outlandish“

 

Patel has contended that among the seized files at Mar-a-Lago were documents connected to the FBI and DOJ’s investigation of contacts between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. In a statement Friday, Patel said these documents were among those declassified by Trump in the closing days of his presidency. He has argued that Trump had unilateral power to declassify anything, and in fact did so in sweeping fashion with verbal and written orders.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/15/trump-declassify-national-security-president-00052054

 

Verbal should be sufficient enough for the trump left hating news and their supporters! Presidents can declassify without a paper trail.

Once this gets litigated in court you’ll find bidens Gastopo was over reaching again ! Hasnt it been reported that the fbi and doj have been extremely deceitful in the past when it comes to the best President  since Reagan .

"After years where FBI agents were found to be acting on political motivation during our administration, the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed," 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fbi-search-mar-a-lago-republicans-investigations-justice-department/

Even if, and that's a big "if", the declassification argument prevails, it would still be a crime for him to be in possession of those documents. At least according to a bill that Trump himself signed into law. That bill increased the penalty for possession from 1 to 5 years.

[300sd]

Did the "Enquirer" change their name to CNN?

[candide]

53 minutes ago, Yankeesvsredsox said:

Cnn the most trusted news network ???? Just a observation!

“Why Donald Trump’s declassification claim might not be that outlandish“

 

Patel has contended that among the seized files at Mar-a-Lago were documents connected to the FBI and DOJ’s investigation of contacts between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign. In a statement Friday, Patel said these documents were among those declassified by Trump in the closing days of his presidency. He has argued that Trump had unilateral power to declassify anything, and in fact did so in sweeping fashion with verbal and written orders.

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/08/15/trump-declassify-national-security-president-00052054

 

Verbal should be sufficient enough for the trump left hating news and their supporters! Presidents can declassify without a paper trail.

Once this gets litigated in court you’ll find bidens Gastopo was over reaching again ! Hasnt it been reported that the fbi and doj have been extremely deceitful in the past when it comes to the best President  since Reagan .

"After years where FBI agents were found to be acting on political motivation during our administration, the appearance of continued partisanship by the Justice Department must be addressed," 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fbi-search-mar-a-lago-republicans-investigations-justice-department/

The classification is not at the heart of the investigation, It's not part of the motives evoked. It's just an added bonus

 

On top of it, you should read the articles you link with more attention.

1. From your quote: "Patel has contended that among the seized files at Mar-a-Lago were documents connected to the FBI and DOJ’s investigation of contacts between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign." Even if It's accepted (with no proof) that he declassified these documents, there are other documents.

2. From the other source: "There is no indication, however, that the search was part of any effort to target a political adversary"

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, 300sd said:

Did the "Enquirer" change their name to CNN?

No.

 

Nor does the source of this news report really matter.

 

Trump has stated he declassified the documents (in itself not much of a defense because the warrant references laws that do not refer to ‘classification’).

 

What does matter is the FBI will cross check his claims with the administration staff tasked with document security.

 

It as simple as that.

 

Claim made, check claim made.

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, candide said:

The classification is not at the heart of the investigation, It's not part of the motives evoked. It's just an added bonus

 

On top of it, you should read the articles you link with more attention.

1. From your quote: "Patel has contended that among the seized files at Mar-a-Lago were documents connected to the FBI and DOJ’s investigation of contacts between Russia and the 2016 Trump campaign." Even if It's accepted (with no proof) that he declassified these documents, there are other documents.

2. From the other source: "There is no indication, however, that the search was part of any effort to target a political adversary"

Trump having documentation relating to the investigation of his contacts with Russia is another alarm bell.

 

No indictment was handed down, therefore there was no ‘disclosure’ to a defendant under indictment.

 

So why did Trump have these documents?

 

How did Trump obtain these documents?

[300sd]

3 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

No.

 

Nor does the source of this news report really matter.

 

Trump has stated he declassified the documents (in itself not much of a defense because the warrant references laws that do not refer to ‘classification’).

 

What does matter is the FBI will cross check his claims with the administration staff tasked with document security.

 

It as simple as that.

 

Claim made, check claim made.

Can one trust the FBI to not be political?

[Bluespunk]

16 minutes ago, 300sd said:

Did the "Enquirer" change their name to CNN?

No. 

[Chomper Higgot]

7 minutes ago, 300sd said:

Can one trust the FBI to not be political?

I am certain of this, one cannot trust any politician to be any thing but political (there’s a clue in the title).

 

So when Lindsey Graham bleats about the FBI …..

[candide]

10 minutes ago, 300sd said:

Can one trust the FBI to not be political?

Exactly! The fact that FBI Directors are always Republican (like the current one) is quite suspect! ????

[Chomper Higgot]

*Deleted post edited out*

 

How so?

 

Trump has already made public statements regarding his claims to have declassified the documents he had in his possession.

 

The FBI will not interview journalists from any news source to determine if Trump is telling the truth, they’ll go directly to the former Trump administration staff.

 

I’m guessing it’s that ‘uncomfortable observation’ that was the cause of you selectively quoting my post.

It’s as simple as this, 

Claim made, claim checked.

 

 

Trump is under criminal investigation, he would be very well advised to stop running his mouth.

 

 

Edited August 21, 2022 by Scott

[300sd]

I love the US. I'm sorry it is going to break up. Too much hate.

[Phoenix Rising]

21 hours ago, Yankeesvsredsox said:

Verbal should be sufficient enough for the trump left hating news and their supporters! Presidents can declassify without a paper trail.

Once this gets litigated in court you’ll find bidens Gastopo was over reaching again !

Gaspacho, not Gastopo!!

[placeholder]

On 8/20/2022 at 4:49 PM, 300sd said:

Did the "Enquirer" change their name to CNN?

You mean the magazine that paid for the Stormy Daniels story and then suppressed it?

[Chomper Higgot]

Have we got to the bit yet where Trump goes on social media to admit his crimes?

[ozimoron]

Standing order or not, it's not going to matter one whit if the FBI considers Trump was using any of those documents for any self serving purpose. Any actions he took would be illegal and that's the basis for the supposed espionage charge.

[placeholder]

2 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Standing order or not, it's not going to matter one whit if the FBI considers Trump was using any of those documents for any self serving purpose. Any actions he took would be illegal and that's the basis for the supposed espionage charge.

Well, the law has the word "espionage" in its name. But that doesn't mean he would be charged with espionage. All the alleged crimes listed in the warrant have to do with illegal possession, not espionage.

[Chomper Higgot]

3 minutes ago, ozimoron said:

Standing order or not, it's not going to matter one whit if the FBI considers Trump was using any of those documents for any self serving purpose. Any actions he took would be illegal and that's the basis for the supposed espionage charge.

Believe this.

 

The most pressing investigation the FBI ( and others have) is who got to see these documents.

 

Who had them illegally is a done deal.