Government documents in the bathroom at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago

I joined Al Jazeera English’s Inside Story on Wednesday to analyze the legal and political situation around Donald Trump’s theft of classified US Government documents, following the release of an audio tape in which Trump showed off US war plans for Iran to staff, a writer, and a publisher.

The other guests are legal specialists Bruce Fein and John Malcolm. We discuss Trump’s forthcoming trial, the seriousness of the felony charges, the 2024 US Presidential campaign, and a fractured Republican Party.

On the political front, this tape amplifies Trump’s indictment. It amplifies the seriousness of it. And it causes a real problem for Trump’s public defense: “the FBI planted documents”, “I didn’t know the documents were there”, and the idea that he could declassify documents either with a signature or in his mind.

See also Trump Pleads Not Guilty to 37 Felony Counts in Classified Documents Case

EA on Al Jazeera English and BBC: The Federal Indictment of Donald John Trump

And on political consequences:

There are some people, come hell or high water, who have stuck with Donald Trump throughout his years as candidate, as President, and even when he incited the violence of the Capitol Attack.

But this blows away the initial defense of Trump supporters: let’s move along, there’s nothing to see here.

This isn’t just a court case. It’s a court case about leaking documents. And it’s not just about documents — it’s about top-secret documents vital to national security.