Jim Jordan Backs Himself Into Corner Struggling To Defend Trump On Tape

Ben Blanchet
Updated ·2 min read
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Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) declared that former President Donald Trump declassified secret files he hoarded at his Florida resort when he was president, apparently contradicting the words of Trump himself on a tape cited in his 37-count federal indictment.

Jordan, in an interview with CNN’s Dana Bash, was pressed to explain Trump telling golf club guests on the tape that he “could have declassified” material as president.

“He says point-blank on tape, ‘As president, I could have declassified it ... now I can’t,’” said Bash as she read from a transcript of Trump’s comments about classified material. “He says in his own words. It’s on tape as part of this indictment that he did not declassify the material. Therefore, it is classified.”

“Dana, saying he could have is not the same as saying he didn’t,” said Jordan, a Trump devotee who chairs the House Judiciary Committee.

“He said now I can’t,” Bash replied.

The interview then sailed into a bizarre back-and-forth.

“Now he can’t, right, because he is not president now. But when he was president, he did declassify it,” Jordan said.

“Which means what he was holding was classified,” Bash responded.

“Not if he declassified it when he was president of the United States, for goodness sake,” Jordan fired back.

“But he’s saying point-blank in this audio tape he did not declassify it. What you’re saying just doesn’t make sense on its face,” said Bash before Jordan pivoted to GOP talking points bashing Hillary Clinton.

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