Fox contributor Lara Trump responds to lengthy DOJ filing that lays out Trump's obstruction in recovery of top secret files: “More of the same”
Lara Trump on the FBI retrieving top secret documents at Mar-a-Lago: “Maybe they don't want anybody in there to see how many things they took that they shouldn't have taken.”
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From the August 31, 2022, edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends First
TODD PIRO (CO-HOST): The Justice Department responding to President Trump's call for a special master to review the raid of his Florida home, calling the request unnecessary and also making new accusations against the Trump team.
ASHLEY STROHMIER (GUEST CO-HOST): Joining us live is a Fox News contributor, Lara Trump. Good morning, Lara. First I want to get to it. The prosecutors wrote not only is appointing a special master unnecessary, but doing so would significantly harm important governmental interests, including national security interests. So what on earth are they talking about? Whenever there's just a new a fresh set of eyes, essentially, with the special master just looking over these documents. Why is there so much pushback on this, especially the day before it's supposed to be heard?
LARA TRUMP (FOX CONTRIBUTOR): I mean, it's a great question, Ashley. Look, I think that this is just more of the same. Obviously, they've already seen all the documents, so they don't need a special master there, I guess, to go through it with them, because, oh, we already separated out the attorney client privilege information that they never should have taken from Mar-a-Lago in the first place.
But this is terrible. This is such a bad look, I think, for the Department of Justice now, because it goes to further the notion that they are targeting Donald Trump, that there is something to hide. Just from the beginning of all of this, this raid at Mar-a-Lago, his lawyers were not allowed to be on property while the FBI was conducting this raid. They asked for the cameras to be shut off while all of this is taking place. And now they have blocked a third party individual, as you just mentioned, from being there with them to go through documents and make sure that they have only what they are supposed to have. So unfortunately, this is probably just going to add fuel to the fire for so many people who believe this was conducted improperly. It should have never been done this way. It's totally unnecessary and looks like a political attack on Donald Trump.
PIRO: Yeah, I just can't figure out how a neutral arbiter reviewing these documents would jeopardize national security interests. I think their comeback would be. Well, there's a there's an urgency, there's an imminent threat here. My rebuttal would be, then why did you wait 18 months to really start worrying about this? So basically, you agree that this is just an ability of the DOJ to prevent anybody from looking over their shoulder. Right, Lara?
TRUMP: Well, absolutely. And it feels like they're trying to backtrack and cover up for themselves. I think they know that all of this was done the wrong way. They look really bad right now. Maybe they don't want anybody in there to see how many things they took that they shouldn't have taken. Who knows at this point. But yeah. Todd, to your point, if this was such an urgent matter, why did they then wait three days after the warrant was approved to go into Mar-a-Lago? None of it makes sense. All of the information that they are slowly leaking out is all in an effort to make them look better and to make a case for their side. It does nothing to further confidence in an institution that we need to have confidence in for the security and of America and, quite frankly, for the future of our country. It's terrible.
STROHMIER: Lara, what are your thoughts on those new documents they found?
TRUMP: Well, look, my father-in-law has said that he has declassified or he did declassify as president everything that he took from the Oval Office, that he had a right to have all the documents that he that he took. And I just find it really interesting, Ashley, that you have this leak, that you have, you know, a photo like we're looking at right there from Mar-a-Lago. That's the carpet at Mar-a-Lago there. You know, it's it's just really concerning, I think, as an American citizen, to see how they are leaking to select media outlets that this information just drips out. And, you know, again, my father-in-law has said he has nothing to hide. He did nothing wrong. And I think that we'll see that in the future.
PIRO: Finally, Attorney General Merrick Garland issuing an internal memo on communication between the DOJ and Congress, basically saying, if you are a member of the DOJ, do not communicate with Congress unless it is through the Office of Legislative Affairs. Garland says this is not to stifle whistleblowers. You buy in that?
TRUMP: No, of course not. We all know exactly what this is. Look, that might be within the DOJ, their rule, but it's not the law. And what I would say is, if you have any cause to believe that anything nefarious is going on, that there is any corruption within any institution, anywhere, you should come forward. You should speak out. I mean, gosh, it is part of who we are as Americans to call out things when we see it like this. So I understand, I think, the goal of Merrick Garland there. But no, I don't think anyone believes that. And again, I guess they issued a memo saying you can't talk to Congress, but you can leak to pre-selected media outlets. That's what they like to do.
PIRO: That's totally allowed. That's allowed how that New York Times is totally fine. Washington Post, do whatever you want, but don't talk to the congressional leaders. Lara Trump, appreciate it. Thank you very much. Have a great day.