Trump Used Classified Documents as 'To-Do Lists,' Ex-Prez's Former Assistant Once Claimed
In a startling revelation, Molly Michael, a former assistant of former President Donald Trump, disclosed to federal investigators that the real estate mogul allegedly habitually used classified documents from the White House as scrap paper for his to-do lists. This astonishing claim, reported by ABC News, shed light on the extent to which sensitive materials were allegedly misused during Trump's tenure.
According to sources familiar with Michael's statements, she recounted numerous instances where Trump provided her with to-do lists scrawled on the back of 'notecards' that were later identified as classified White House documents. He allegedly used these papers, with classified markings, as scrap paper, but in reality, these had been used to give him briefings on phone calls with foreign leaders and other international matters while he was in office.
The classified notecards were reportedly present at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate during an FBI search on August 8, 2022. However, the FBI did not seize these materials during the search. Michael, upon discovering them the next day while cleaning her office space, promptly handed them over to the FBI.
Michael's cooperation with federal investigators extended beyond the matter of these 'to-do lists.' She expressed growing concerns about Trump's apparent mishandling of the National Archives' requests to return the government documents stored at Mar-a-Lago. Allegedly, Michael felt Trump's claims about these papers could be easily disproved, raising questions about his transparency and compliance with legal obligations.
Furthermore, sources indicated that Trump, upon learning about the FBI's interest in interviewing Michael, allegedly told her, "You don't know anything about the boxes," as per Intelligencer. The context of this statement remains unclear. But it adds another layer of intrigue to the ongoing investigation.
It's no secret that Trump faces numerous legal challenges, having pleaded not guilty to 37 criminal counts related to the mishandling of classified materials. Prosecutors accuse him of refusing to return hundreds of documents, including those containing classified information crucial to national security. Trump vehemently denied these charges, dismissing them as a political witch hunt.
The aforementioned ABC News report highlighted Michael's role as a key figure in the investigation. Identified as 'Trump Employee 2' in the indictment by special counsel Jack Smith, her statements contribute significantly to the evidence amassed against Trump. According to prosecutors, she was identified as one of the individuals responsible for managing the boxes that were transferred from the White House to Mar-a-Lago.
This article was originally published on 6.1.24.
