'I Didn't Have to Hand Them Over': Donald Trump Falsely Claims He Could Keep Classified Documents After Leaving the White House

Former President Donald Trump, currently under federal indictment for his retention of classified materials, claimed on Fox News that he had the right to keep government documents after leaving office.

Trump's claim comes amidst a legal battle with the Department of Justice over the alleged willful retention of these documents and his obstruction of government efforts to retrieve them.

During a town hall in Greenville, S.C., Trump told the audience that he was not obligated to return the documents despite facing federal charges in Florida.

The Department of Justice maintains that Trump's actions constitute a serious offense, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

Moderator Laura Ingraham confronted Trump with a comparison to current President Joe Biden's situation, citing a report by the DOJ. The report highlighted Biden's voluntary return of government material and Special Counsel Robert Hur's reasoning for not prosecuting him, citing Biden's age and how a jury would likely view him "as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory."

When asked directly whether he believed Biden should be prosecuted, Trump evaded the question and reiterated his belief in having the right to retain the documents. He justified his actions by claiming, "I was allowed to do what I did. Absolutely allowed."

Ingraham pressed Trump on why he did not comply with the FBI's request to hand over the documents, to which Trump defended himself by stating that he was not obligated to do so.

"First of all, I didn’t have to hand them over, Trump claimed. "But second of all, I would’ve done that. We were talking, and then all of a sudden they raided Mar-a-Lago."

In a series of events dating back to May 2021, the National Archives informed Trump's representatives of missing documents from his administration. Following negotiations, the Archives retrieved boxes of documents in January 2022 but later discovered additional material in Trump's possession.

Despite assurances from Trump's team, an inspection in June 2022 by the Department of Justice proved otherwise, leading to the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago. The raid contradicted previous statements made by Trump's attorney, confirming the presence of government material at the residence.

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The charges against Trump for the Mar-a-Lago classified documents are only one of the four indictments the former president is currently facing.

Trump has a total of 91 criminal charges against him.

The 77-year-old was indicted in New York in connection to an alleged $130,000 hush money payment given to adult film star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election.

He was also indicted in D.C. for his actions surrounding the January 6th Capitol riots and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

The fourth indictment against the former president revolves around Trump and 18 coconspirators' efforts to overturn the election results in Georgia.