CNN Airs Audio of Trump Discussing 'Highly Confidential' Documents

CNN (Lean Left bias) aired audio Monday night of former President Donald Trump discussing what he called "highly confidential, secret" documents with a writer and aides in 2021.

The Details: The recording is a key piece of evidence in the federal case over Trump's handling of classified documents, and seems to contradict his comments in a recent Fox News (Right) interview that he wasn’t holding a classified document about plans to attack Iran.

Key Quotes: "The Deranged Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, working in conjunction with the DOJ & FBI, illegally leaked and ‘spun’ a tape and transcript of me which is actually an exoneration, rather than what they would have you believe," Trump said. "This recording is even more damning than it reads in the indictment," said a former federal prosecutor. "Trump used a document he admits was classified as a prop to brag and make himself feel important."

For Context: Trump's initial trial date is Aug. 14, but Smith has requested a three-month delay.

How the Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum framed the audio as contradicting Trump's statement that he didn't possess classified documents at the time of the recording. Left-rated sources often focused more on the details of the recording, and rarely mentioned Trump's response. Right-rated sources focused more on Trump's defense of himself. Washington Times (Lean Right bias) highlighted how Trump claimed "the tape doesn’t prove a crime and was leaked to damage his 2024 prospects."