Chris Christie says Trump kept classified documents as a ‘trophy’
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) on Sunday said former President Trump kept classified documents “as a trophy” in regards to an FBI search of Mar-a-Lago where authorities seized troves of White House materials with various classified markings.
“He wanted to keep these documents as a trophy. That’s what they were, more than anything,” Christie, and ABC News contributor and former Trump adviser, said on “This Week,” referring to over 100 classified documents and dozens of empty folders labeled classified found at Trump’s property.
Christie dismissed the suggestion that Trump kept the documents in his possession for leverage.
“I think it’s much more likely they’re a trophy that he walks around and says, ‘Look, I’ve got this. I’ve got this classified document or that,’ because remember something, he can’t believe he’s not president,” Christie said.
“He can’t believe he still doesn’t get these documents, and he needs to display to everybody down at Mar-a-Lago or up in Bedminster during the summer he still has some of those trappings. The replica Resolute Desk in Mar-a-Lago and all the rest of those things are things that are assuaging, you know, his disappointment and his disbelief that he’s not the president anymore.”
A Washington Post report last week found that a Trump employee told FBI agents that the former president personally directed the movement of documents at Mar-a-Lago after receiving a government subpoena for any remaining classified materials.
Mounting reports of Trump’s personal involvement in handling the documents could help strengthen the Justice Department’s case against him, as the materials’ discovery has stoked national security concerns due to the sensitive information included within.
Trump has argued that some of the documents are protected by attorney-client privilege, and also claimed that he declassified the materials before bringing them to Mar-a-Lago, though his attorneys have not gone so far in their legal arguments and offered no proof he handled the declassifications through officials channels.
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