Donald Trump during an interview with a conservative radio host Wednesday said he didn’t break the law in the classified documents case because he’s “allowed to do whatever I want,” and his remarks have created a stir on social media.
Trump was responding a question from Hugh Hewitt about whether any of the rival Republican presidential candidates would make a suitable vice president when he took a detour to rant about the classified documents case.
“Like the records case, I come under the Presidential Records Act. I’m allowed to do it. Biden’s not allowed to do it, because he wasn’t president. It’s a special act that was passed in great detail in 1977, in tremendous detail. It tells you everything you’re allowed to do, and it’s not criminal. It has nothing to do with the criminal. It’s not a criminal act,” Trump said.
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Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti said Trump’s comments are likely to become part of special counsel Jack Smith’s case against the former president.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Jack Smith uses this statement against Trump at trial. Trump thinks he is ‘allowed to do whatever I want,” Mariotti said.
“The jury will receive instructions from the judge indicating that the law indicates otherwise.”
Conservative attorney and Trump critic George Conway responded to Mariotti, saying the quote is likely to be used a sentencing, as well.
Conway separately added that, “This will make a terrific quote for the Government to use in the first paragraph of its sentencing memorandum.”
Writer Jason Karsh said: “When you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do whatever you want.”
Said radio host Joe Cunningham: “NARRATOR: He was not, in fact, allowed to do whatever he wanted.”
“We literally fought a war with Britain to be free of government that worked this way,” social media user Casey Mattox said.
