Former Republican President Donald Trump responded to the release of an audio recording that reportedly captured him discussing classified materials at his New Jersey club in 2021, brushing aside concerns about the recording, asserting his innocence and claiming to be a "legitimate person."
The revelation has opened him up to considerable mockery online, with critics pointing out the contradiction between his previous statements and the content of the recording.
The audio clip, central to his federal indictment, has become a focal point of controversy surrounding Trump's handling of classified information.
You can hear what Trump said in the video below.
Speaking with Fox News Digital, Trump dismissed the audio recording, claiming ignorance of any recordings that should raise concerns.
He said:
“I don’t know of any recordings that we should concerned with because I don’t do things wrong. I do things right. I’m a legitimate person."
This newly coined phrase from Trump—who once infamously referred to himself as a "stable genius"—invited widespread ridicule online.
The audio recording appears to contradict Trump's recent claim to Fox News anchor Bret Baier that he did not possess physical papers during the incident in question.
When confronted with this inconsistency, Trump downplayed its significance, declaring that what was said in the recording was "absolutely fine and very perfect." He dismissed the recording as part of a larger "hoax" perpetuated by the "fake news," including Fox News.
Baier's interview with Trump came after a reported reluctance from the former President to be interviewed by the host due to his coverage of the 2020 election, particularly Baier's challenge to Trump's claims of election fraud.
Trump insisted he "won in 2020 by a lot" when Baier asked him how he intends to attract independents to vote for him in 2024 only for the Fox News host to shut him down.
Baier firmly told Trump he had in fact "lost the 2020 election," citing multiple recounts and failed lawsuits on the part of Trump's legal team that failed to change the outcome of the electoral contest.
@GavinNewsom/X
