Listen: Trump brags about 'cool' secret plans to attack Iran

The two-minute leaked clip is critical evidence cited in the indictment against the former president. Credit: MICHAEL REYNOLDS/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Donald Trump bragged about «cool» classified documents relating to an alleged attack on Iran, a recently leaked audio recording reveals.

The two-minute clip is the crucial piece of evidence cited in a 49-page indictment of the former president by Special Counsel Jack Smith.

Earlier this month, the 77-year-old GOP presidential candidate pleaded not guilty to 37 federal criminal charges that relate to his alleged possession hundreds of secret documents after leaving office.

In its indictment, the Department of Justice described evidence including an audio recording of Mr. Trump's meeting in July 2021 at his Bedminster Golf Club in New Jersey.

Mr. Trump's guests, author, publisher, and his two employees who did not have access to the US security service. , but in the recording, the former president calls what he shows them «secret» and «completely confidential.»

Responding to the allegations, Trump told Fox News, “There was no document. It was a huge amount of articles and everything else talking about Iran and other things. And he may or may not have been detained, but it was not a document. I didn't have any documentation. There was nothing to declassify. There were newspaper reports, magazine reports and articles.”

Donald Trump talking about classified documents

But the recording obtained by CNN includes additional bits of the conversation not referred to by Mr. Smith, during which Mr. — Mr. Trump seems to be referring to documents in front of him.

“These are documents,” Mr. Trump says. . He can also be heard shuffling papers.

“The military did it and gave it to me,” Trump says, adding, “You see, as president, I could declassify this. Now I can't, you know.»

In another new quote, Trump says, «It's so great. I mean, it's true, look, she and I, and you probably almost didn't believe me, but now you believe me.

The tape ends with the former president asking the employee to bring a cola.

Earlier in the video, he and his staff can be heard joking about Hillary Clinton and Anthony Weiner.

Transcript of Trump's conversation about classified documents

Renato Mariotti, a legal analyst and former U.S. attorney, said the tape was «even more deadly than the indictment claims.»

He tweeted: «Trump used the document, which he admits was classified as props, to show off and make himself feel important. Ironically, moments earlier, Trump and his guest had taunted Hillary Clinton for mishandling classified documents.»

Stephen Cheung, Trump's press secretary, said: «The audio recording provides context that further proves that President Trump has done nothing wrong at all.”

He claimed that Mr. Trump was speaking “rhetorically,” adding, “The media and Trump haters are again too willing to take the bait by falling for another Democrat… Deception of the Ministry justice, hook, fishing line and sinker.