Former Attorney General Bill Barr has openly criticized Trump’s handling of classified documents, saying it is “unprecedented” for a former president to store sensitive records in a “country club.”
Interviewed by Fox News on Friday, Barr said he can’t think of a reason for Trump to have classified documents in his possession at Mar-a-Lago. He also disputed the claims of the former president, who claimed to have declassified the records, despite having his classification marks. “Frankly, I’m skeptical of this claim that I ‘declassified everything.’ Because, frankly, I think it’s highly unlikely.
“And second, if he actually stood in front of dozens of boxes without really knowing what was in them, and said, ‘I hereby declassify everything in here,’ that would be a gross abuse.” It shows such recklessness that it is almost worse than taking the documents.’
“No, I can’t think of a legitimate reason why they could be taken out of government, away from government, if they’re classified,” Barr said.
A more detailed list of assets seized during the FBI search of Trump’s South Florida residence was released on Friday, a day after a court heard arguments by Trump’s lawyers to appoint a special master to review the documents seized during the search.
Barr called that lawsuit a “red herring.” He also criticized those who criticize the FBI’s action. “I think what prompted that action by the FBI was, you know, a bunch of classified information present at Mar-a-Lago,” Barr said. “People are saying this is unprecedented, well it’s also unprecedented for a president to take all this classified information and put it in a country club.”
During his appearance on Fox News, Barr also pointed out the fact that all recovered documents belong to the government and should be with the National Archives and Records Administration.
During her tenure as attorney general, Barr drew criticism from Democrats and independents for being too loyal to Trump. He was also heavily criticized for his summary of Robert Mueller’s report on Russian interference in the 2020 presidential election because he omitted critical elements contained in the Mueller report.
