'An exoneration': Furious Trump claims 'leaked' classified doc recording proves his innocence

A furious Donald Trump reacted late Monday to an audio tape released by CNN that caught the former president discussing a highly classified document in his possession – and laughing about how he no longer had the power to declassify it.

The recording has him describing a "big pile of paper" to two unnamed people at his Bedminster, N.J., golf club.

"Isn't it amazing?" he asks. "They presented me this — this is off the record,” he says about the document that's thought to concern the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley.

He goes on: "See as president I could have declassified it. Now I can't, you know, but this is still a secret."

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The recording was played by CNN and other outlets Monday night, with Trump responding on Truth Social just before midnight.

"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."

"This continuing Witch Hunt is another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!"

Trump doesn't explain how the recording is an exoneration. In it, he talks about the information being "highly confidential" and "secret information," conflicting his previous statements that the boxes of documents contained newspaper clippings.

As Trump goes on to call the records “highly confidential” and full of “secret information,” a staffer in the room turns the conversation to Hillary Clinton, mocking her for printing out “her private emails.”

Trump responds, “No, she’d send it to Anthony Weiner.”

Posting to Truth Social after the release of the audio, Trump took aim at prosecutor Jack Smith and claimed, without explaining, that the audio is an exoneration of his alleged crimes.

“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 wrote.

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The former president added: “This continuing Witch Hunt is another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!”

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. This continuing Witch Hunt is another ELECTION INTERFERENCE Scam. They are cheaters and thugs!