Joe Biden Calls Donald Trump's Handling of Documents 'Totally Irresponsible'
U.S. President Joe Biden commented on his predecessor's handling of classified documents in an interview aired on Sunday.
Reuters reported that Biden said former U.S. President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents was "totally irresponsible," but that he was staying out of the investigation.
Biden said he started to wonder "what data was in there that may compromise sources and methods" as he saw the classified documents that turned up during the search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.
The president commenting on the Justice Department's criminal probe broke his pattern when it comes to refraining to comment on the probe on Trump.
Biden said that he had not received a classified briefing on the contents of those documents and that he has not asked for the specifics of the contents. He added that he does not want to get himself in the middle of whether or not the Justice Department should move or not.
Meanwhile, Biden's intelligence chief is investigating whether the disclosure of information posed national security risks.
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U.S. President Joe Biden on Mishandled Documents
The president said that he has not personally spoken to anyone regarding the probe, while reiterating that he was not given advance notice of the Federal Bureau Investigation's search of Mar-a-Lago, according to The Hill report.
"60 Minutes" host Scott Pelley asked the president what he thought when he looked at the top-secret documents that were laid out on the Mar-a-Lago floor. Biden answered that he asked how it could possibly happen.
The president defeated the Republican candidate Trump in the 2020 presidential election. Trump has falsely claimed that the election results were defrauded.
Biden said he agreed that he would not tell the Justice Department what to do and not, adding that he does not also say how to prosecute or not.
Justice Department noted that it was investigating the former president after he removed White House records.
Donald Trump Documents
FBI agents found 33 boxes worth of material based on a detailed inventory made public in September, as reported by BBC News report.
The FBI confiscated 18 documents labeled as top secret, while 54 were designated as secret, and 21 marked confidential.
In addition, agents also discovered 90 folders marked classified or for return to government staff. The classified documents were also mixed inside boxes with personal items such as books and clothing.
Meanwhile, court records did not state what information the documents contain.
Trump has been vocal about the FBI search at his Mar-a-Lago home and has denied wrongdoing. His spokesman alleged the raid was a "smash and grab" operation.
The former president also claimed that he would have returned the files if the Justice Department had asked for them. However, it was reported that the department had repeatedly sought additional documents from Trump and it was not immediately clear why the recovered files were not handed over at the time.
Prosecutors are investigating three possible crimes namely, willful retention of national defense information, obstruction of the federal probe, and concealment or removal of government records.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Mary Webber
WATCH: President Biden on the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago - from 60 Minutes
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