Trump kept classified documents as a "trophy," Chris Christie says

Sections

Axios Local

Axios gets you smarter faster with news & information that matters

About

Subscribe

Chris Christie says Trump kept classified documents as a trophy

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that he believes former President Trump took classified documents from the federal government and kept them at his Mar-a-Lago residence as a "trophy." Why it matters: Christie also said he thinks Trump's actions, as alleged by a Washington Post report last week, amounted to obstruction but said the Justice Department may struggle to concretely prove obstruction occurred if a case is brought against the former president.The that a Trump employee told federal agents about being directed by the former president to move boxes of classified documents after the government had subpoenaed Trump. What they're saying: "Well, yes," Christie said, agreeing with host George Stephanopoulos' description of Trump's actions in the Post report as obstruction."Look, none of us, I think, who know him are surprised. He wanted to keep these documents as a trophy. That's what they were more than anything else, he added, saying he did not think Trump took them for "leverage.""I think it's much more likely that they're a trophy, that he walks around and says, 'Look, I got this, I've got this classified document or that.'""Because, remember something, he can't believe he's not president. He can't believe he still doesn't get these documents. And he needs to display to everybody down at Mar-a-Lago, or up in Bedminster during the summer, that he still has some of those trappings." The big picture: The appealed the decision to appoint a special master to review documents retrieved by the FBI through a in August. Go deeper ...

Go deeper