Trump team's filing

Movant also agrees that it would be appropriate for the special master to possess a Top Secret/SCI security clearance.

So they accept that these documents haven't been declassified.

Judge unseals the list of items FBI seized from Trump in Mar-a-Lago search

Lots of empty folders with classified banners. What's he done with the contents?

What's he done with the contents? — Michael

Best case: he flushed them down the toilet.

Sheds light on his claim that "people are flushing their toilets 10 times, 15 times".

Classified folder on display at Trump Tower

What's the bet that Trump Tower gets searched next?

Given the strict chain of custody standards concerning the information itself, it can be known if anything is still missing. If that ends up being the case, and the missing information is important enough, given the way the Mar-A-Lago events unfolded, I would think that there will be more searches to come. Rumor has it that there are still some records missing.

Another important bit...

An unusual number of agents and informants have been killed and/or turned up missing since Trump left office. If the seized or missing information pertains directly to any of that, Trump will be in so much more hot water than he already is.

America first!

Trump compliments 'fierce' and 'smart' Putin and applauds Xi Jinping for ruling China with an 'iron fist'

He sure loves his dictators. Definitely wishes he had their power.

Definitely wishes he had their power. — Michael

Yeah. (And too bad he hadn't those Wehrmacht generals he'd wished he had. Perhaps then we would have had that unfortunate helicopter accident with Marine One.)

But at least some time ago understanding that your opponents are smart would be seen as a good thing as the worst mistakes happen when you depreciate your opponent.

Even Trump in the bit forecast correctly how the anti-Trump media would play it him saying so.

Labor Day 2022.

Individual-1 aka "Agent Orange" aka "Putin's Bitch" had petitioned a Federal Judge, whom Individual-1 had appointed during the last months of his failed, disgraced, and perhaps treasonous, presidency to do him "a service" of significantly delaying the ongoing criminal investigations of his potentional Obstuction of Justice, Espionage, etc (and real-time damage assessments of espionage against US national security) which she servilely and expeditiously granted without legal grounds or precedent. :shade:

https://www.axios.com/2022/09/05/trump-special-master-fbi-ruling

"Someday, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me."
~Don Vito Corleone, The Godfather (1972)

:mask:

It's funny how Barr is such a huge critic lately. Also about this ruling. What struck me as particularly exceptional upon reading it, is how she offers up arguments that were never submitted by either party. She turns out to be a better advocate for Trump than his own lawyers.

Material on foreign nation’s nuclear capabilities seized at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago

A document describing a foreign government’s military defenses, including its nuclear capabilities, was found by FBI agents who searched former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence and private club last month, according to people familiar with the matter, underscoring concerns among U.S. intelligence officials about classified material stashed in the Florida property.

The sands have shifted once again. First it was nuclear documents, now it’s a document describing a foreign government’s military defenses. Rest assured, another nothingburger sending TDS sufferers into a mental spiral.

First it was nuclear documents, now it’s a document describing a foreign government’s military defenses. — NOS4A2

"[A] foreign government's military defenses, including its nuclear capabilities."

The original report saying:

Classified documents relating to nuclear weapons were among the items FBI agents sought in a search of former president Donald Trump’s Florida residence on Monday, according to people familiar with the investigation.

...

They did not offer additional details about what type of information the agents were seeking, including whether it involved weapons belonging to the United States or some other nation.

So what sands have shifted? It seems to me that the new report simply confirms that they found what they were reportedly looking for, and clarifies that the documents were related to some other nation.

First it was nuclear documents, now it’s a document describing a foreign government’s military defenses — NOS4A2

same thing?

We’re now going to pretend that we haven’t been speaking about US nuclear documents this whole time?

We’re now going to pretend that we haven’t been speaking about US nuclear documents this whole time? — NOS4A2

I haven't. I don't know about you. You make a habit of misrepresenting whatever anyone else is saying. This is what I quoted in my original post on the matter:

FBI searched Trump’s home for classified material about nuclear weapons: report

FBI agents searched for classified material about nuclear weapons, among other items, when they served a warrant at former President Donald Trump’s home in Florida earlier this week, the Washington Post reported Thursday night.

Citing sources familiar with the investigation, the Post reported that government officials were deeply concerned that the nuclear documents believed to be stored at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence could fall into the wrong hands.

Separately, the New York Times reported the documents were related to some of the most highly classified U.S. programs, and that officials feared they were vulnerable to be stolen from Trump’s home by foreign adversaries.

The Post said their sources did not give details about the nuclear documents, such as whether it involved U.S. weapons or those of foreign countries.

Sensitive information about U.S. nuclear weapons is usually restricted to a small number of government officials, the Post reported, noting that material about U.S. weapons could be an intelligence coup for adversaries, and that other nations could see classified U.S. information about their nuclear programs as a threat.

You also said this, linking to a report alleging the Trump administration was sharing nuclear tech with Saudi Arabia.

Jesus. Imagine they don't find them. What if Trump sold them to Saudi Arabia.

"But I declassified them before I left" would hardly justify it.

Either way, I wasn’t talking about you.

Either way, I wasn’t talking about you. — NOS4A2

Then who were you talking about? The news agencies reporting on the matter? Because, again, the original report specified that it wasn't clear whether or not it was concerning the United States or foreign nations.

But if you want to go ahead and say that other posters here were jumping the gun, then go ahead, but it seems like you're trying to deflect attention away from the fact that Trump was illegally in possession of, and insecurely storing, at least one document related to the defence and nuclear capabilities of some other nation. That's a huge deal. Your attempts to try to defend Trump and make it out to be some Democrat/FBI-led political hoax or whatever is absolutely ridiculous.

You also said this, linking to a report alleging the Trump administration was sharing nuclear tech with Saudi Arabia. — NOS4A2

Because I didn't rule out that it was about U.S. weapons. But neither did I say that it was about U.S. weapons. I'm actually capable of nuance.

It’s a nothingburger. Zilch. Nada. All this crap about “national security risk” has fallen from the table at which millions of anti-Trump devotees were gorging themselves. Now it’s about a different country’s national security. It could be documents about Chad for all you know. One way or another, you’re following selective leaks from a political DOJ and falling for it.

It could be documents about Chad for all you know. — NOS4A2

I don't think Chad has any nuclear capabilities. The document is likely to be regarding one of the nuclear powers.

Now it’s about a different country’s national security. — NOS4A2

This is one document amongst many, many more. That same report also says:

Among the 100-plus classified documents taken in August, some were marked “HCS,” a category of highly classified government information that refers to “HUMINT Control Systems,” which are systems used to protect intelligence gathered from secret human sources, according to a court filing.

We just don't know the details of these documents (obviously). We'll know more about the national security risk after the intelligence agencies have completed their damage assessment (assuming the results will be made public).

It’s a nothingburger. Zilch. Nada. — NOS4A2

I assume you must have read the documents, perhaps even the missing ones, if you know this. You did not tell us that you are authorized to view classified documents.

Not to mention Trump’s medical and tax records and passports. God knows what they found in Melania closet and Barron’s room.

Not to mention Trump’s medical and tax records and passports. God knows what they found in Melania closet and Barron’s room. — NOS4A2

The reason why is simple: he has no regard for national security. He carelessly threw all these things together as if they are his personal effects.

Trump is a buffoon, but with each passing day this ordeal is looking more and more politically motivated. What'll be the reaction of those on this forum if no evidence of significant wrongdoing is produced? I fear it will be a simple "We'll get him next time", and that's very telling.

What'll be the reaction of those on this forum if no evidence of significant wrongdoing is produced? — Tzeentch

The evidence of significant wrongdoing has already been produced. He is wrongfully and illegally in possession of classified documents.

There was plenty in the Mueller report. Trump was not, as he claimed, exonerated. The fact that he was not prosecuted does not mean there was no evidence of significant wrongdoing.

The fact that he was not prosecuted does not mean there was no evidence of significant wrongdoing. — Fooloso4

How did that come about then?

Here is a quick and clear summary:

Mueller revealed why he didn't charge Trump with a crime — and it wasn't because of a lack of evidence

The former special counsel Robert Mueller went into detail Wednesday about why he didn't make a decision on whether to charge President Donald Trump with obstruction of justice.

Mueller pointed to three factors that he said impeded prosecutors from making a decision on the obstruction case.

The first is a 1973 decision by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel stating that a sitting president cannot be indicted. For that reason, Mueller said, charging Trump with a federal crime "is unconstitutional."

He also said it would be "unfair" to even suggest Trump had committed a crime, because it would deprive him of the opportunity to defend himself in a court of law.

And he said filing a sealed indictment was not an option because of the 1973 DOJ policy, and because there was a risk that it could leak.

"Charging the President with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider," Mueller said.

But the former special counsel emphasized that if prosecutors had confidence that Trump did not commit a crime, they would have said so. He also implied that it is up to Congress to potentially pursue impeachment proceedings against Trump. (https://www.businessinsider.com/why-mueller-didnt-charge-trump-obstruction-2019-5)

The first is a 1973 decision by the Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel stating that a sitting president cannot be indicted. For that reason, Mueller said, charging Trump with a federal crime "is unconstitutional."

A federal judge addressed this memo a while back.

Judge tosses Trump's lawsuit to keep his taxes secret

Marrero’s most dramatic conclusion, however, may be his charged swipe at the Justice Department’s legal guidance that a president cannot be indicted while in office.

“The court is not persuaded that it should accord weight and legal force the president ascribes to the DOJ memos,” Marrero wrote.

He noted that the argument a sitting president cannot be indicted often relies entirely on these memos, which don’t carry the force of law or legal precedent.

"[T]he theory has gained a certain degree of axiomatic acceptance ... as though their conclusion were inscribed on constitutional tablets so-etched by the Supreme Court,” he said.

It might be DOJ policy not to indict a President, but that's all.

IMO, all this judge has done is expose herself as a Trumpanista tool. The DoJ, I have no doubt, will find one or more viable work-arounds to this court-ordered delay and won't bother taking the bait with an appeal (contra Barcr).TBD.

Trump is a buffoon, but with each passing day this ordeal is looking more and more politically motivated. — Tzeentch

You must be unfamiliar with the facts. Trump has been treated better than anyone else would possibly be treated.

For starters, he violated the Presidential Records act on Jan 21, 2021. Chalk that up to carelessness, due to his failure to plan his departure. But the National Archives requested their return in May 2021, and that's when they should have been returned. Had this been anyone other than a former President, the docs would have been retrieved within hours. This was just the beginning of his special treatment, but I'll leave it there for now.

The DoJ, I have no doubt, will find one or more viable work-around to this court-ordered delay and won't bother taking the bait with an appeal (contra Barcr).TBD. — 180 Proof

As someone commented on CNN recently, this court order should have negligible effect on the DOJ investigation. It merely bars (pending review by a Special Master) investigators from making use of the content of the seized documents while doing the investigation. She didn't rule that the investigation should be halted. The specific content of the documents is mostly irrelevant to what Trump is being investigated for. He's not going to be charged for possessing anything that falls under the purview of any sort of privilege (his own communications, or communications to him). It's rather the fact that those documents are classified (and their degrees of classification) that landed him on hot water, and/or the fact that they belong to the National Archives, and the circumstances surrounding his possession of them. Nothing in the judge's ruling impedes the investigation into those matters.

This is not to say that there is any merit to the judge's ruling, though. It's just not as damaging to the investigation as people seem to think.