NOW REMEMBER, THIS LIKELY STEMS,
AND I WANT TO BE CLEAR HERE,
THIS IS COMING FROM DONALD TRUMP
HIMSELF.
SO FAR, NBC NEWS HAS NOT
INDEPENDENTLY VERIFIED THIS WITH
ANYBODY AT THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT OR OTHER SOURCES AT
THIS POINT.
THIS LIKELY STEMS FROM THAT
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS
INVESTIGATION THAT JACK SMITH
HAS BEEN CONDUCTING FOR MONTHS
NOW.
WHETHER DONALD TRUMP KNOWINGLY
BROKE THE LAW BY BRINGING
CLASSIFIED MATERIALS FROM THE
WHITE HOUSE WHEN HE WAS
PRESIDENT DOWN TO HIS FLORIDA
HOME.
REMEMBER, HUNDREDS OF DOCUMENTS
WERE FOUND WHEN THE FBI SEARCHED
MAR-A-LAGO LAST AUGUST.
LAST SUMMER, IT WAS AUGUST 8th
OVGS
OF COURSE, THAT INCREDIBLY
DLAMATIC MOMENT.
AND NOW IT APPEARS DONALD TRUMP
HAS BEEN INDICTED, HE SAYS
BECAUSE OF THOSE FEDERAL
STATUTES, THE LAWS ABOUT
HANDLING CLASSIFIED INFORMATION
PROPERLY.
ALL ALONG, HE HAS MAINTAINED HE
COULD DECLASSIFY ANYTHING AT
ANYTIME WHEN HE WANTED TO.
THAT IS A LEGAL OPINION THAT HAS
NOT BEEN TESTED.
IT CLEARLY DOES NOT HOLD UP IN
THE VIEW OF THE VUS TISJUSTICE
DEPARTMENT.
WE HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF
WITNESSES AND TWO GRAND JURIES
LOOKING AT THIS CASE, SO
SIGNIFICANT NEWS TONIGHT,
LESTER.
YOU TALK ABOUT THE LEGAL
LANDSCAPE, THERE'S A POLITICAL
ONE AS WELL.
DONALD TRUMP RIGHT NOW IS THE
REPUBLICAN FRONT RUN NER-RUNNER
RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE'VE BEEN HERE BEFORE.
DIFFERENT SITUATION, DIFFERENT
CASE.
STATE LEVEL.
THAT WAS IN MANHATTAN.
AFTER THAT, WE SAW HIS POLL
NUMBERS GO UP.
IF PAST IS ANY INDICATION, YOU
MAY SEE THE REPUBLICAN BASE
RALLY AROUND HIP ATM AT THIS POI
>> LET'S GO TO LAURA JARRETT.
WHAT IS THE MECHANISM WITHIN THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL TO OFFICIALLY
ANNOUNCE ANY INDICTMENT?
>> GOOD QUESTION.
WE ARE TRYING VERY HARD TO
CONFIRM THIS NEWS WITH THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO FIND OUT
WHAT PRECISE CHARGES HE MIGHT BE
FACING.
HE HAS POSTED IN FRONT OF THE
WHOLE WORLD THAT HE'S BEEN
INFORMED THAT HE'S BEEN
INDICTED, BUT HASN'T SPECIFIED
THE PRECISE CHARGES THAT HE
CLAIMS HE'S FACING.
FOR SOME TIME, IT'S BEEN OUR
UNDERSTANDING THAT HE'S BEEN
UNDER SCRUTINY FOR HIS RETENTION
OF THOSE DOCUMENTS IMPROPERLY
BECAUSE HE WAS NO LONGER
PRESIDENT AND HE WAS KEEPING
THEM IN A PLACE THAT WAS NOT
SECURE.
WE'VE ALSO UNDERSTOOD HE MAY BE
FACING SCRUTINY FOR OBSTRUCTION
OF JUSTICE.
HAVING TO DO WITH OBSTRUCTING
THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFORTS TO
RETRIEVE THESE DOCUMENTS, BUT WE
DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT WHETHER
THOSE ARE THE PRECISE CHARGES
HE'S FACING.
THAT WAS OUR UNDERSTANDING BASED
OFF OF REPORTING FROM NBC AND
OTHER OUTLETS.
WE ARE GOING TO KEEP PRESSING
THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT TO FIND
OUT EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON
HERE.
IN TERMS OF THE NORMAL MECHANISM
AND NORMAL CASE, TYPICALLY A
CASE LIKE THIS WOULD REMAIN
UNDER SEAL UNTIL HE HAS HIS
FIRST APPEARANCE.
HIS ARRAIGNMENT.
HE CLAIMS IT WILL BE ON TUESDAY
IN MIAMI.
REMEMBER, THE GRAND JURY IN
MIAMI HAD AT LEAST ONE WITNESS
IN THERE YESTERDAY AND WE HAD
NOTICED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF
ACTIVITY THERE AT THAT
COURTHOUSE TODAY.
WE HAD NOTICED AT LEAST ONE
MEMBER OF THE SPECIAL COUNSEL
TEAM THERE GOING BACK AND FORTH
WHICH WE FOUND CURIOUS
CONSIDERING THAT THE WITNESS HAD
LEFT YESTERDAY SO WE HAD BEEN
PRESSING TO TRY TO FIND OUT, TRY
TO REPORT OUT WHY THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL HAD REMAINED IN FLORIDA.
OF COURSE, THERE'S ALSO THE
GRAND JURY THAT HAD BEEN HEARING
THIS CASE IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
SO WE NEED TO UNDERSTAND AGAIN
IS HE FACING CHARGES IN
WASHINGTON, IN FLORIDA, PERHAPS
BOTH?
IS ANYONE ELSE FACING CHARGES?
THOSE ARE THE QUESTIONS THAT OF
COURSE WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE
TO PRESS THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
ON.
>> LAURA, IS IT AN ALL OR
NOTHING PROPOSITION WHEN IT
COMES TO THE SPECIAL COUNSEL?
HE'S BEEN LOOKING INTO THE
DOCUMENTS ISSUE BUT ALSO THE
JANUARY 6th ISSUE.
COULD WE SEE AN INDICTMENT IN
ONE THEN A DECISION DELAYED ON
ANOTHER?
>> YES.
IT'S ALWAYS BEEN OUR
UNDERSTANDING THAT THE SPECIAL
COUNSEL'S WORK ON JANUARY 6th
HAVING TO DO WITH THE FORMER
PRESIDENT'S EFFORTS TO STAY IN
OFFICER,
OFFICE, TO CLING TO POWER, WE'VE
UNDERSTOOD TO BE SEPARATE.
THE TIMELINE ON THAT IS WAYS
OFF.
AS OPPOSED TO THE DOCUMENTS
CASE, WHICH IS MUCH MORE RIPE,
WE UNDERSTAND TO BE IN ITS FINAL
STAGES.
>> STAND BY.
GARRETT HAAKE HAS BEEN COVERING
THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND JOINS
NEAR HIS ESTATE IN BEDMINISTER,
NEW JERSEY.
>> DONALD TRUMP AND HIS ALLIES
HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THIS.
THEY PLAN TO USE THE SAME
POLITICAL PLAYBOOK NOW THAT THEY
USED IN THEIR VIEW QUITE
SUCCESSFULLY AFTER HIS FIRST
INDICTMENT IN NEW YORK CITY.
THE GOAL HERE POLITICALLY
SPEAKING IS TO TRY TO FORCE
REPUBLICANS TO CHOOSE A SIDE.
YOU'RE EITHER GOING TO BE WITH
DONALD TRUMP, THE FRONT-RUNNER
FOR HIS PARTY'S NOMINATION FOR
PRESIDENT AND ITS MOST RECENT
PRESIDENT OR WITH WHAT THEY'LL
DESCRIBE AS LIBERAL PROSECUTORS
WHO HAVE BEEN OUT TO GET HIM
FROM THE JUMP.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT TRUMP'S
ALLIES, CAMPAIGN TEAM, HAD BEEN
CALLING AROUND TO ALLIES ON
CAPITOL HILL, OTHER ALLIES ON
CAPITOL HILL, HOUSE REPUBLICANS,
HAD BEEN REPAIRING EVER SENTINCE
SENT A POST THAT SAY IT SHOULD
BE A PRIORITY FOR THIS MOMENT.
THEY'VE BEEN TOLD TO STAND BY
AND PREPARE THE DEFEND THE
PRESIDENT PUBLICLY.
SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN THE COMING
DAY SS
DAY SS A SIMILAR EFFORT AFTER
WHAT HAPPENED IN NEW YORK.
THEY'RE ALREADY SENDING OUT FUND
RAISING E-MAILS WITH THE TRUTH
SOCIAL POST TO THEIR NETWORK.
THEN THEY'LL LOOK TO SEE HOW THE
OTHER REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES
RESPOND.
WE SAW MR. TRUMP'S PACK CALLING
OUT CHRISTIE AND HUTCHISON, TWO
WHO HAD CONDEMNED HIS ACTIONS
AROUND THIS CASE.
THEY'RE GOING THE TRY TO FORCE
THE HANDS OF OTHERS, ESPECIALLY
RON DeSANTIS OF FLORIDA, WHO
THEY SEE AS THEIR PRIMARY RIVAL.
TO EITHER DEFEND DONALD TRUMP OR
BE ON THE SIDE OF THE BIDEN
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AND LIBERAL
PROSECUTORS.
THAT'S HOW THE FORMER PRESIDENT
IS GOING TO TRY TO FRAME IT
POLITICALLY BECAUSE HE AND HIS
TEAM BELIEVE IT WILL WORK, THEY
SAW IT WORK AFTER NEW YORK,
LESTER.
>> THANKS VERY MUCH.
BACK TO HALLIE JACKSON.
YOU'VE LEARNED MORE ABOUT WHEN
THIS COULD GO TO COURT.
>> IT IS LOOKING LIKE TUESDAY
AFTERNOON BASED ON WHAT DONALD
TRUMP HIMSELF IS SAYING.
IN MIAMI IN DISTRICT COURT, HE
IS SAYING ABOUT 3:00 IN THE
AFTERNOON.
SO TUESDAY AFTERNOON.
THIS IS SURE TO BE, LESTER,
FRANKLY, A SPECTACLE BECAUSE IT
IS THE SPECTER OF A FORMER
PRESIDENT.
AGAIN, IF THIS HOLDS AND IF
THESE ARE THE CHARGES WE THINK
THEY ARE AS DONALD TRUMP IS
INDICATING, A RM FOFORMER PRESID
AND REPUBLICAN FRONT-RUNNER NOW
APPARENTLY INDICTED, HE SAYS, ON
FEDERAL CHARGES.
THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT IN
THE LEGAL AND POLITICAL
LANDSCAPE.
WE'VE SEEN THIS BEFORE.
WE SAW THE HELICOPTERS OVER NEW
YORK CITY AS DONALD TRUMP WAS
MAKING HIS WAY TO COURT IN THAT
CASE SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
REMEMBER, THIS IS SOUTH FLORIDA.
THIS IS NOT FAR FROM DONALD
TRUMP'S RELATIVELY MAR-A-LAGO
HOME IN PALM BEACH.
ERE IS GOING TO BE THE VISUAL
HERE OF DONALD TRUMP SHOWING UP
IN COURT IFAS YOU'RE TAKING A LO
AT MAR-A-LAGO.
ONE THING WE CAN BE CERTAIN OF,
HE WILL TRY TO TURN THIS TO HIS
POLITICAL ADVANTAGE DESPITE THE
LEGAL LIABILITY.
HE'S ALREADY FUND RAISING OFF
THIS.
WE'VE SEEN IT IN THE LAST COUPLE
OF MINUTES HERE.
THAT IS A MOMENT OBVIOUSLY THAT
A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE CIRCLING ON
THEIR CALENDARS.
WANT TO BE CLEAR, A LOT WE'RE
WORKING TO FIND OUT.
OUR TEAMS ARE REPORTING THIS OUT
AS WE SPEAK AS IT RELATES TO THE
SPECIFIC CHARGES AND WHERE THIS
GOES NEXT, BUT WE KNOW IN THE
NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, ANOTHER
PIVOTAL MOMENT HERE.
WHAT ELSE WE'RE WATCHING, A WAY
THAT DONALD TRUMP'S CURRENT
COMPETITORS IN THE REPUBLICAN
PRIMARY MAY REACT.
WE KNOW IN THE PAST, SOME OF
THEM HAD ECHOED HIS CLAIMS OF
PARTISANSHIP BY THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT HERE AS IT RELATED TO
THE LEGAL ISSUES HE'S FACING.
WE WILL SEE AS WE START TO GET
INTO THE EVENING HOURS AS THIS
NEWS STARTS TO GET OUT, HOW
THEY'LL RESPOND THIS TIME
AROUND.
>> WE'LL ASK YOU TO STAND BY
AGAIN.
KRISTEN WELKER JOINS ME.
LET'S PICK UP ON THIS ISSUE OF
POLITICAL FALLOUT.
CERTAINLY, WE'VE SEEN THE NUMBER
OF POTENTIAL REPUBLICAN
CANDIDATES MULTIPLY THIS WEEK.
THEY ALL HAD TO KNOW THIS MOMENT
MIGHT COME AND HOW THEY WANT TO
PLAY IT. WHAT'S YOUR INTEL ON THAT?
WHAT'S YOUR INTEL ON THAT?
>> WELL, LESTER, BASED ON MY CON
VER
CONVERSATIONS, I'M TOLD THEY'RE
TRYING TO DETERMINE HOW AND WHEN
TO SHARPEN THEIR ATTACKS AGAINST
MR. TRUMP.
THEY REALLY STOOD BEHIND HIM
DURING THE INITIAL INDICTMENT.
WILL WE SEE IT THIS TIME AROUND?
THAT REMAINS TO BE SEEN.
I THINK THE DEBATES ARE GOING TO
BE A KEY POTENTIAL TURNING
POINT.
I STRESS THAT WORD, POTENTIAL,
BECAUSE THERE'S REAL RISKS IN
CRITICIZING MR. TRUMP.
THAT IS WHY YOU'RE SEEING SO
MANY CANDIDATES, DeSANTIS,
PENCE, REALLY TAKE A VERY
CAUTIOUS APPROACH WHEN TALKING
ABOUT THE FORMER PRESIDENT.
I'LL TELL YOU WHO'S NOT.
THAT IS THE CURRENT COMMANDER IN
CHIEF, PRESIDENT BIDEN.
TODAY, PETER ALEXANDER ASKED HIM
ABOUT SOME OF THE PRESSURE TRUMP
HAS BEEN PUTTING ON THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT.
PRESIDENT BIDEN EMPHASIZING HE
HAS NEVER PRESSURED THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT SO REALLY TRYING TO
DRAW THAT DISTINCTION ALREADY,
LESTER.
>> THANK YOU, KRISTEN.
LET ME BRING IN FORMER FEDERAL
PROSECUTOR AND NBC NEWS LEGAL
ANALYST.
I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS HAPPENING
IN FLORIDA.
WE HAD BEEN WATCHING A GRAND
JURY IN WASHINGTON THEN IN THE
LAST TWO DAYS, FLORIDA POPPED UP
ON THE MAP.
WHERE DO YOU THINK THIS IS
GOING?
>> YEAH SO, EVERYONE DID THINK
THIS WAS A GRAND JURY THAT WAS
BEING RUN OUT OF WASHINGTON,
D.C.
WHAT WE DIDN'T KNOW WAS WHETHER
THEY WERE LOOKING TAT JANUARYAT
6th EVENTS AT THE DOCUMENTS CASE
OR BOTH.
I THINK THE ASSUMPTION WAS BOTH.
WHEN IT CAME TO LIGHT THAT A
FLORIDA GRAND JURY HAD BEEN
IMPANELLED, IT WAS CLEAR TO MOST
OF US IT WAS PRETTY LIKELY THE
SPECIAL COUNSEL CONCLUDED THAT
VENUE, WHERE THE CHARGES SHOULD
BE BROUGHT, PROBABLY HAD TO BE
IN FLORIDA BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE
THE PRIMARY EVENTS TOOK PLACE
WITH RESPECT TO THE RETENTION OF
THE DOCUMENTS AND OBSTRUCTION OF
JUSTICE.
I THINK JACK SMITH PROBABLY
RESEARCHED THAT A LOT AND
CONCLUDED THAT THE SAFER COURSE
TO BRING THESE CHARGES IN
FLORIDA.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A FLORIDA
GRAND JURY.
A FLORIDA JURY.
FLORIDA JUDGES, FLORIDA
APPELLATE COURT ALL THE WAY UP
TO THE SUPREME COURT.
>> LET ME BRING LAURA BACK IN.
THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND WE'VE
CONFIRMED YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN,
TWO SOURCES CONFIRMING MR. TRUMP
WILL BE INDICTED IN A DOCUMENTS
PROBE, BUT IT'S A PRETTY WIDE
TERM.
HOW MANY AND WHAT ARE THE
RELATIVE SERIOUSNESS OF THE
CHARGES AT THE PROSECUTOR'S
DISPOSAL?
>> THE MOST SERIOUS WOULD BE
OBVIOUSLY SHOWING CLASSIFIED
DOCUMENTS TO SOMEONE WHO'S NOT
AUTHORIZED TO RECEIVE THEM OR
EVEN OBSTRUCTING JUSTICE.
THAT'S TALKING ABOUT 20 YEARS
THERE.
OF COURSE, WE NEED TO SEE THE
PRECISE CHARGES IN ORDER TO
EVALUATE EXACTLY WHAT HE'S
FACING, LESTER, AND ALL ALONG,
HE'S MAINTAINED HE'S DONE
NOTHING WRONG.
HIS DEFENSES HAVE RANGED FROM I
CAN DECLASSIFY ANYTHING I WANT
TO I CAN DECLASSIFY ANYTHING IN
MY MIND.
BUT AT LEAST ON SOME OF THE
ESPIONAGE CHARGES, WHICH IS WHAT
WE THINK MIGHT BE AT PLAY HERE
BASED ON SOME OF OUR REPORTING,
THE PROSECUTORS DON'T ACTUALLY
HAVE TO PROVE ANYTHING WAS
CLASSIFIED.
ALL THEY HAVE TO PROVE IS THAT
IT WAS NATIONAL DEFENSE
INFORMATION.
SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE USEFUL
TO U.S. ADVERSARIES AND THAT IT
WAS A CLOSE HOLD AND THAT HE
DIDN'T HAVE THE AUTHORIZATION TO
RECEIVE THEM.
CERTAINLY, HE DIDN'T HAVE THE
AUTHORIZATION TO RECEIVE THEM IF
HE WAS NO LONGER PRESIDENT AND
HE WAS RECEIVING THEM AT FLORIDA
IN MAR-A-LAGO IN AN UNSECURE SET
EGG.
ING.
EVEN THOUGH HIS MAIN DEFENSE HAS
BEEN I CAN DO ANYTHING I WANT, I
CAN DECLASSIFY ANYTHING I WANT,
THAT MIGHT BE GETTEDUTTED AND BY
FAKTD
FACT WE HAVE REPORTING THAT HE
SAID ON TAPE THAT HE KNEW HE
COULDN'T ACTUALLY SHOW
CLASSIFIED INFORMATION TO
PEOPLE.
THAT HE WAS ON TAPE TALKING
ABOUT A DOCUMENT THAT HE HAD
KEPT AFTER HE LEFT THE WHITE
HOUSE, LESTER.
>> WHAT ARE SOME LIKELY AVENUES
OF DEFENSE WITH A LITTLE
INFORMATION WE HAVE, WHAT ARE
SOME LIKELY AVENUES.
>> TO SAY SIMPLY THIS WAS A BIG
MISTAKE.
MY STAFF SIMPLY SWEPT ALL THE
DOCUMENTS INTO A BOX AND SHIPPED
THEM DOWN TO FLORIDA BECAUSE
THERE WASN'T A GREAT PROCESS FOR
DEALING WITH THINGS.
EVERYTHING WAS SORT OF IN A
SCURRY AFTER YOU KNOW, I LOST
THE ELECTION.
AND SO REALLY WASN'T IN MY
HANDS.
HIS BEST DEFENSE WOULD BE ONE OF
COMPLETE IGNORANCE, BUT OF
COURSE, THE FACT THAT HE
RETAINED THE DOCUMENTS EVEN
AFTER HE WAS REPEATEDLY ASKED TO
GIVE THEM BACK BOTH BY THE
NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND BY THE
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT AFTER THEY
FOUND OUT HE HAD THEM, REALLY IS
UNDERCUTTING HIS BEST DEFENSE
THERE.
THAT REALLY WORKS AGAINST HIM.
IF HE HAD SIMPLY RETURNED THE
DOCUMENTS AND SAID, I'M SORRY,
IT WAS ALL A BIG MISTAKE, I
THINK WE'D BE IN A VERY
DIFFERENT POSITION THAN ONE
WHERE WHERE WE FIND OURSELVES
NOW, WHERE HE WAS ASKED TO GIVE
THEM BACK AND THE JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT HAD TO GET A SEARCH
WARRANT FOR HIS HOME.
>> KRISTEN WELKER AGAIN, OUR
WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT.
WE'RE HEARING FROM THE WHITE
HOUSE.
OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE WALKING A VERY
NARROW LINE.
>> VERY.
THEY'RE NOT COMMENTING TONIGHT.
I CAN TELL YOU EARLIER IN THIS
WEEK, A SOURCE FAMILIAR SAYING
THAT YOU CAN EXPECT THEY WILL
NOT BE ENGAGING IN THIS
DIRECTLY.
IT IS GOING TO BE BUSINESS AS
USUAL.
OF COURSE PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS
ANNOUNCED HIS RE-ELECTION
CAMPAIGN.
WE'VE SEEN THAT STRATEGY START
TO PLAY OUT.
TRYING TO REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT
HE IS THE PERSON IN THE OVAL
OFFICE RIGHT NOW CARRYING OUT
THE DUTIES OF THE PRESIDENCY.
LOOK, THEY ARE PREPARED FOR
FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP TO BLAME
PRESIDENT BIDEN.
IF HA
IF THAT HAPPENS, THEY WILL
EMPHASIZE THE RULE OF LAW.
THE FACT PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS
REALLY TRIED TO EMPHASIZE THE
DOJ AS A SEPARATE BRANCH FROM
THE WHITE HOUSE.
SO I THINK YOU'RE GOING TO SEE
AGAIN THIS ATTEMPT TO TRY TO
DRAW THOSE SORTS OF
DISTINCTIONS.
JUST GOING BACK TO POLITICALLY
SPEAKING, THE POTENTIAL IMPACT
ON THE FORMER PRESIDENT, LESTER.
I WOULD REMIND OUR VIEWERS,
LOOK, WE CONTINUES TO BE THE
STRONG REPUBLICAN FRONT-RUNNER.
HIS PERSON WHO'S CLOSEST TO HIM,
RON DeSANTIS, IS DOUBLE DIGITS
BEHIND.
SO THE QUESTION IS AT WHAT POINT
WILL HIS REPUBLICAN RIVAL START
TO ENGAGE.
WE CONTINUE TO WATCH THAT
CLOSELY.
CONTINUE TO REACH OUT TO THE
WHITE HOUSE FOR ANY REACTION.
SO FAR, NO SPECIFIC REACTION
TONIGHT, LESTER.
>> THE IMPLICATIONS ARE HUGE AND
WILL GENERATE A LOT OF
CONVERSATION.
BACK TO HALLIE JACKSON NOW.
WALK US THROUGH HOW WE GOT TO
WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW.
>> WELL, THAT STRETCHES BACK TO
MAY OF 2021, LESTER.
THAT IS WHEN THE NATIONAL
ARCHIVES REALIZED SOME OF THE
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS THEY WOULD
HAVE EXPECTED TO HAVE FROM THE
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE DIDN'T EXIST.
REMEMBER, THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
IS A PLACE WHERE PRESIDENTS HAND
OVER WHATEVER DOCUMENTS AND
SENSITIVE MATERIALS THEY HAVE
THAT ARE CLASSIFIED TO BE
ENTERED INTO THE OFFICIAL
GOVERNMENT RECORD ONCE THEY
LEAVE THE PRESIDENCY.
SO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES SAID
BASICALLY, HEY, WE DON'T HAVE
EVERYTHING WE THINK WE NEED
HERE.
THAT LED TO MONTHS OF BACK AND
FORTH THEN IN JANUARY OF 2022,
SO OVER A YEAR AGO, TURNING OVER
15 BOXES OF CLASSIFIED RECORDS.
IT WAS IN FEBRUARY WE BELIEVE
THE FBI OPENED THAT CRIMINAL
INVESTIGATION.
IN EARLY JUNE, YOU HAD SOME FBI
AGENTS GO DOWN TO SOUTH FLORIDA.
THEY GOT MORE MATERIAL AND A
LETTER FROM TRUMP'S ATTORNEY
SAYING ESSENTIALLY THAT WAS IT.
EVERYTHING THEY HAD.
THAT TURNED OUT NOT TO BE TRUE
BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU'RE SEEING
HERE IN AUGUST, ANOTHER BATCH OF
DOCUMENTS TAKEN BY THE FBI.
YOU'LL REMEMBER THAT NOW
INFAMOUS PICTURE OF THOSE
DOCUMENTS LAID OUT.
DONALD TRUMP AT THE TIME PUSHED
BACK VERY STRONGLY ON THAT.
HE DIDN'T LIKE TO SEE THIS IS
THE PICTURE.
DIDN'T LIKE TO SEE THAT PICTURE
OUT THERE.
NOW, IT WAS LATER IN AUGUST THAT
A JUDGE UNSEALED THAT SEARCH
WARRANT THAT LAID OUT WHAT LAURA
HAS BEEN TALKING ABOUT HERE.
WHICH POTENTIAL FEDERAL CRIMES
DONALD TRUMP MAY HAVE VIOLATED
INCLUDING FOR EXAMPLE, THE
ESPIONAGE ACT.
SOME OF THESE CLUES, DETAILS,
CAME FROM THAT SEARCH WARRANT.
THE TRUMP TEAM TRIED TO PUSH
BACK.
THEY WANTED A SPECIAL MASTER
APPOINTED HERE.
THERE WAS SOME LEGAL BACK AND
FORTH.
YOU PROBABLY REMEMBER SOME OF
THE COVERAGE FROM THAT, BUT
THAT'S WHEN JACK SMITH WAS NAMED
BY ATTORNEY GENERAL MERRICK
GARLAND TO OVERSEE BOTH OF THESE
SORT OF BUCKETS HERE IN THIS
BROADER INVESTIGATION.
THE CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS PIECE.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
NOW.
AS WELL AS BY THE WAY, THE
SEPARATELY PARALLEL UNDER THE
SAME UMBRELLA, ANYTHING ILLEGAL
THAT DONALD TRUMP MAY HAVE DONE
RELATED TO THE ATTACK ON THE
CAPITOL.
DIFFERENT SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES
HERE.
AND ARE THESE OF COURSE
CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTED IN THAT
INVESTIGATION, THAT PROBE.
WE HAVE SEEN DONALD TRUMP AS
HE'S BEEN RUNNING FOR THE WHITE
HOUSE, FURIOUS ABOUT THIS.
HE HAS PUSHED BACK ON THIS.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT QUITE A BIT HERE.
BIT HERE.
AND AT THIS POINT, THE DEFIANCE
FROM DONALD TRUMP IS SET.
WE KNOW THAT'S HAPPENING.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT DO THE
PEOPLE AROUND HIM DO?
THE PEOPLE WHO ARE UP AGAINST
HIM IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.
WE HAVE SEEN SOME OF THEM MAKE A
CASE FOR THEIR OWN CAMPAIGN.
LIKE CHRIS CHRISTIE.
WHO HAS JUST ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK
HE IS RUNNING PUSH BACK.
>> THANK YOU.