Sunday, September 6, 2026

I took away classified files to remember my time as president: Trump

Former U.S. President Donald Trump claims that he took only folders for classified documents as “a cool keepsake.”

• January 19, 2023
U.S President Joe Biden and Donald Trump
U.S President Joe Biden and Donald Trump

Former U.S. President Donald Trump claims that he took only folders for classified documents as “a cool keepsake” and accused Trump-hating feds of planting top secret documents to frame him.

Mr Trump sought to downplay the scandal surrounding his taking hundreds of classified documents to Mar-a-Lago by focusing on the scores of empty folders found by FBI agents in an August 8 search.

“These were ordinary, inexpensive folders with various words printed on them but they were a cool keepsake,” Mr Trump wrote in a post on his social media site. “Perhaps the Gestapo took some of these empty folders when they Raided Mar-a-Lago, & counted them as a document, which they are not.”

Without offering any evidence, Mr Trump said Trump-hating Marxist thugs might be planting more documents while the folders were in the hands of federal prosecutors.

He also tried to change the subject to the discovery of classified documents at President Joe Biden’s home and office, a scandal that has jolted the White House in recent days.

“They keep saying I had a large number of documents in order to make the Biden Classified Docs look less significant,” added the former U.S. president.

“As president, I did nothing wrong. JOE DID,” Mr Trump insisted.

Federal investigators said Mr Trump fought tooth and nail to hold onto a trove of thousands of government documents and presidential records that he improperly took when he left the White House.

Mr Trump also defied a subpoena for the return of all classified documents, prompting the search that turned up more than 300 classified documents at his oceanfront resort.

In Mr Biden’s case, his lawyers immediately informed the feds when they found a small number of classified documents stored at an office the president once used last November.

They later launched a more extensive search, which turned up two more sets of documents at Mr Biden’s home in Wilmington, Delaware. Special counsel Jack Smith is mulling whether to file charges against Mr Trump while special counsel Robert Hur is probing the Biden documents case. 

(dpa /NAN)

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Africa

APC, Ethiopia’s Prosperity Party youths inaugurate joint tree-planting campaign

The initiative is part of the second round of the “Plant African Fraternity” aimed at deepening pan-African youth solidarity and promoting environmental sustainability.

Federal Road Safety Corps

States

Three killed, 20 injured in Osun road crash: FRSC

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) says three people lost their lives, while 20 others were injured in an accident in Tonkere, Osun State.

Heading 2

EPL: Aston Villa extend goalless run after 0-0 draw with Hull City

Villa missed goal-scoring opportunities in the opening minutes of the game, with chances from Nicolas Jackson, Ross Barkley and George Hemmings.

Heading 5

Rights activists, labour leaders seek security, living wage reforms

Rights activists, labour leaders and civil society organisations called for urgent reforms to address insecurity and economic hardship.

Idi Maiha

Heading 3

FG rebranding livestock sector to attract youths: Maiha

“Now, the agriculture sector is beckoning the youths. We are rebranding the sector,” the minister said.

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State

States

Gov Makinde cautions traditional rulers against partisan politics

Mr Makinde advised traditional rulers to steer clear of politics and embrace all political actors without bias.