Former White House Adviser: No ‘Problems’ in Trump’s Handling of Classified Information

Then-National Security Advisor Lt. Gen. H. R. McMaster speaks during a press briefing at the White House in Washington on Nov. 2, 2017. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times

Former Trump administration adviser H.R. McMaster has said that former President Donald Trump did not appear to mishandle classified information during his time there, as the Department of Justice (DOJ) continues its investigation into the former president.

“There were systems in place. I don’t know what happened to those systems, but I was never uncomfortable with it while I was there,” McMaster told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “While I was there, I did not see any problems in handling of classified information.”

McMaster, a retired general, served as one of Trump’s top advisers from 2017 to 2018. On Sunday, he said he wasn’t aware of any issues regarding how the Trump White House handled documents.

The FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in August and took boxes of documents, including materials that were allegedly marked “classified” and “top secret.” On social media, Trump has said that he declassified the documents while president and added in a later interview that he had broad declassification powers while he was in office.

In court filings, the DOJ launched an investigation into Trump’s handling of the materials after the National Archives indicated that some recovered documents were classified earlier this year.

A Florida district judge sided with Trump’s lawyers in his bid to obtain a special master to review the materials that were taken during the raid while ordering a halt to the DOJ’s investigation of the materials. But the DOJ appealed that order and the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last month that the DOJ can continue to use the Mar-a-Lago documents.

New Filing

On Sept. 30, the DOJ moved to expedite its appeal of an order appointing a special master and said its inability to access the non-classified documents is still hampering significant aspects of its investigation on the retention of government records at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate.

The Justice Department is asking the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to order all papers be filed in the case by Nov. 11, and hold any necessary hearing in the case as soon as that briefing is completed.

Trump’s lawyers oppose the request, the government said. Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich told news outlets: “After having weeks to prepare their arguments, the DOJ is now picking an unnecessary fight over a nine-day difference in filing timelines.”

The Justice Department said that because it is currently barred from accessing the roughly 11,000 non-classified documents seized in the search, it cannot examine documents that were stored alongside the classified materials.

Reuters contributed to this report.