Mark Meadows handed over more texts and emails after Mar-a-Lago search: CNN

Friday evening, CNN reported former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows turned over to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) additional emails and text messages within a week of the FBI executing a search warrant at Mag-a-Lago.

Citing "sources familiar with the matter," CNN reported, "Meadows’ submission to the Archives was part of a request for all electronic communications covered under the Presidential Records Act. The Archives had become aware earlier this year it did not have everything from Meadows after seeing what he had turned over to the House select committee investigating January 6, 2021. Details of Meadows’ submissions to the Archives and the engagement between the two sides have not been previously reported."

The documents Meadows turned over were reportedly not classified and one source told CNN it was not the type of situation that NARA should refer to the Department of Justice.

"Another person familiar with the matter said the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago had nothing to do with Meadows’ decision to turn over the materials to the Archives, as it was a separate discussion," CNN reported. "Still, it’s an awkward position for Trump’s former chief of staff to be in, as Meadows also has been engaged in efforts to get Trump to return documents to the National Archives since last year, sources tell CNN. Meadows is one of Trump’s designees to the Archives, and he got involved in the summer of 2021 after being contacted by another designee, former Trump Deputy White House Counsel Pat Philbin."

Although Meadows was Trump's final White House chief of staff and one of his NARA, the exact status of their current relationship is murky.

"In recent months, Trump has been counseled to cut contact with Meadows, whose actions leading up to and on the day of the US Capitol attack have been deeply scrutinized by the House panel investigating January 6, sources have said. A source close to Trump said that while the former President has not completely cut ties with Meadows, Trump has complained about Meadows in conversations with other allies," CNN reported.

Read the full report.