Ex-President Donald Trump clarified that he is willing to provide testimony in the criminal investigation concerning classified documents, vehemently denying that he directed an employee at his Mar-a-Lago estate to remove specific security footage.
Trump, along with two of his personnel, faced charges of obstruction towards the end of July, connected to the purported attempt to eliminate videos from his property in Florida. During the conversation with NBC News, Trump adamantly refuted the claims that he instructed his staff to erase the security footage.
“It’s completely untrue,” Trump stated to the anchor of “Meet the Press”, Kristen Welker, addressing the accusations.
When inquired if he was prepared to affirm this statement under oath, Trump responded affirmatively, noting, “Absolutely, I plan to — I will testify. But what is even more critical to note is that no tapes were removed or altered. These tapes belong to me, and legally, I could have resisted handing them over. I believe there wasn’t a necessity to submit them.”
Charged with obstruction are Trump, his personal attendant, Walt Nauta, and Carlos De Oliveira, who oversees maintenance at Mar-a-Lago. All have entered pleas of not guilty.
“I am confident that I would have triumphed in a legal battle,” Trump conveyed to Welker. “I voluntarily handed over the tapes when requested. It’s essential to realize, however, that we didn’t eliminate any content. Nothing was removed.”
The prosecution contends that both Nauta and De Oliveira solicited another employee, whose identity remains undisclosed, to eradicate the security footage, following a subpoena that demanded the release of the said tapes. The indictment suggests that they informed this individual that the erasure was ordered by “the boss.”
Earlier in June, Trump entered a plea of not guilty to charges of mishandling sensitive documents, encompassing allegations from breaching the Espionage Act to unauthorized retention of vital national security documents on subjects such as nuclear strategies, defense capabilities, and an alleged “attack plan” developed by the Pentagon.
Furthermore, Trump mentioned to NBC News that the possibility of granting himself a pardon, should he secure victory in the 2024 presidential race, was “extremely doubtful”.
Despite being embroiled in four trials, Trump assured Welker of his innocence in each case.
“I perceive it as extremely doubtful,” Trump remarked about the potential of a self-pardon. “Precisely what transgression have I committed? I have not breached any law. Is the objective to imprison me simply because I contested an election outcome?”
The exclusive interview with “Meet the Press”, recorded on the preceding Thursday, is slated to be broadcast this Sunday.
