The US Federal Bureau of Investigation found classified documents containing “highly sensitive intelligence” on China and Iran during a search of Donald Trump’s residence in Florida, The Washington Post reported on Friday (Oct 21).
Documents that “described highly sensitive intelligence work aimed at China” were seized by federal agents as they continued to go through the stash of documents kept at the former president’s Mar-a-Lago home and private club nearly two years after his term in office ended.
At least one of the seized documents relates to Iran’s missile program, according to The Washington Post, citing anonymous sources.
While details of the documents remained unclear, the quoted sources said the documents relating to China and Iran were considered “among the most sensitive” retrieved to date by agents in the FBI investigation, which began on Aug 8 with a search of Trump’s estate.
The FBI has seized some 13,000 documents including about 100 marked as classified, according to court documents.
The agents said the president asked for boxes of records to be moved to his Palm Beach residence after receiving a government subpoena demanding their return.
The content of the documents covers US military defence matters including nuclear capabilities, The Washington Post previously reported.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing in keeping the documents. A Supreme Court ruling on October 13 rejected the former president’s request to have an independent arbiter instead of the Justice Department review the classified material.
Amid the investigation and continuing speculation over whether Trump will again run for the White House in 2024, the former president is enmeshed in another controversy.
A US House of Representatives committee is investigating Trump’s role in the Jan 6 attack on the Capitol in 2021 by his supporters after he lost the presidential election to Joe Biden. On Friday the committee subpoenaed Trump, demanding documents and that he undergo a deposition.
Also on Friday, Steve Bannon, Trump’s former long-time aide, was sentenced to four months in prison for defying a subpoena from the House committee. Bannon is appealing the judgment.
This article was first published in Asia One . All contents and images are copyright to their respective owners and sources.
