Former President Trump’s claim that he had a “standing order” to declassify documents taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago has been debunked and called “total nonsense” by Trump White House officials. However, new evidence has emerged that further undermines Trump’s story. Last August, Bloomberg reporter Jason Leopold filed a Freedom of Information Act request to investigate the existence of such an order. Initially, the search yielded no results, with government attorneys citing an ongoing criminal probe against Trump. However, a recent ruling in a Massachusetts case forced the agencies to disclose the information, and it was revealed that neither the Justice Department nor the Office of the Director of National Intelligence had any “records responsive” to the request.
The New York Times previously reported on the declassification process, emphasizing that while presidents do have the authority to declassify documents, certain protocols must be followed. A “standing order” like the one Trump referred to would need to be documented in writing and shared with the intelligence community, including the DNI. The agency that classified a document would also likely be notified of such an order.
The question of whether a president can secretly declassify information without leaving a written record or informing anyone was deemed “borderline incoherent” by specialists in government secrecy. The system is not designed to be used in such an arbitrary manner.
It is worth noting that Trump is currently facing 37 federal felony counts, including charges of obstruction of justice, willful retention of classified documents, and making false statements.
Overall, the evidence contradicts Trump’s claim of a “standing order” to declassify documents and highlights the importance of following established protocols.
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