Trump Allegedly Showed Classified Map on 2022 Flight, Rep. Raskin Says/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ A Democratic lawmaker alleges Donald Trump displayed a classified map during a 2022 flight. The claim stems from a newly disclosed Justice Department memo. Trump and the White House deny wrongdoing and dismiss the allegations.
Trump Classified Map Allegations — Quick Looks
- Democrat alleges Trump showed classified map
- Incident reportedly occurred during 2022 flight
- Memo references Bedminster golf club trip
- Susie Wiles allegedly witnessed incident
- Documents tied to business interests referenced
- Trump denies wrongdoing and declassification claims
- Case previously led by special counsel Jack Smith
- Investigation dropped after 2024 election win
- Raskin requests more information from DOJ
- White House calls allegations “baseless”
Deep Look: Lawmaker Alleges Trump Showed Classified Map During 2022 Flight
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump allegedly displayed a classified map during a 2022 flight to his New Jersey golf club and retained highly sensitive government records, according to a letter released Wednesday by Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee.
The claims stem from a newly disclosed Department of Justice memo dated January 2023. The memo details evidence prosecutors gathered during the investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents following his departure from the White House.
According to Raskin’s letter, prosecutors described a June 2022 flight to Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club during which Trump allegedly brought classified documents onboard. Investigators reportedly identified a classified map that Trump may have shown to individuals on the plane.
The memo indicated that Susie Wiles, who later became Trump’s White House chief of staff, was among those on the flight and may have witnessed the incident.
Sensitive Documents Linked to Business Interests
The Justice Department memo also suggested Trump retained classified materials connected to his business interests. According to the letter, investigators believed Trump maintained documents that were highly restricted, including one that only six individuals would have been authorized to access.
These revelations add to previously known allegations that Trump kept sensitive documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, following his departure from office.
The classified documents investigation, led by special counsel Jack Smith, resulted in felony charges accusing Trump of retaining top-secret material and obstructing efforts to recover them.
The indictment also alleged that Trump showed a classified map related to a military operation at his Bedminster property in 2021 and discussed holding onto a Pentagon “plan of attack” prepared for him.
White House Pushes Back
Trump has consistently denied wrongdoing, arguing he was entitled to retain the documents after leaving office in 2021. He has also claimed he declassified the materials, though no evidence supporting that claim has been presented publicly.
The White House strongly criticized Raskin’s letter, calling the allegations politically motivated.
White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson dismissed the claims, saying Democrats were relying on outdated investigations and reiterating that Trump did nothing wrong.
The Justice Department also defended its handling of the matter, suggesting that the investigation led by Jack Smith was politically motivated.
Case Dropped After Election
The classified documents case against Trump was abandoned after his victory in the 2024 presidential election. The Justice Department cited longstanding legal guidance that sitting presidents cannot be indicted.
A final report prepared by Smith remains sealed under orders from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who presided over aspects of the case and issued several rulings favorable to Trump.
Raskin Requests More Information
Raskin’s letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi requests additional details about the alleged incident, including:
- Identities of passengers on the flight
- The country depicted in the classified map
- Additional evidence from DOJ records
Raskin also accused the Justice Department of selectively releasing documents to Congress in an effort to discredit prior investigations.
He argued that some materials disclosed by the department may instead reveal damaging information about Trump’s handling of classified information.
Raskin further suggested that the release of certain documents could violate a protective order imposed by Judge Cannon during the investigation. The Justice Department rejected that claim, calling it baseless and stating that no grand jury material was improperly disclosed.
National Security Concerns Raised
In his letter, Raskin expressed concern that Trump may have jeopardized national security by retaining and sharing classified material.
He urged the Justice Department to release additional information, arguing that transparency is essential, particularly during ongoing international conflicts.
The allegations add another chapter to the long-running controversy over Trump’s handling of classified information, which has remained a focal point of political and legal debate.
As lawmakers request more details and the Justice Department responds, the issue is likely to remain part of ongoing political scrutiny in Washington.
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