Trump dismisses leaked audio on Iran attack plan as 'hoax' amid federal indictment

In a campaign stop in New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump responded to a recently leaked audio recording in which he was heard discussing classified strategies for a potential attack on Iran which he dismissed as a "hoax."

Trump claimed that it was an attempt at election interference and stated that everything was done within the bounds of legality. The leaked audio served as a key piece of evidence in the federal indictment Trump is facing, which includes 37 counts for alleged hoarding of classified material.

The tape, recorded in July 2021, captured Trump reflecting on his presidency while conversing with individuals working on former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows's memoir. During the conversation, Trump suggested that the plans originated from General Mark Milley, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. This came in response to an article in The New Yorker where Milley claimed to have prevented Trump from attacking Iran during his final weeks in office.

In the leaked audio snippet, Trump expressed his frustration, indicating that the Defense Department and Milley presented him with the information. However, he mentioned that as president, he could have declassified the information but was no longer able to do so.

Individuals associated with All Seasons Press, a conservative publishing company, were believed to be among those Trump spoke to in the audio. The company had published Meadows's book, "The Chief's Chief," which reportedly provided federal investigators with additional evidence in the classified document probe.

Trump reiterated his earlier claims that there were no documents to declassify, asserting that the materials consisted of newspaper and magazine articles. He expressed confidence in his actions, stating, "What was said was absolutely fine." Trump also expressed uncertainty about the potential existence of additional recordings but stated that he wasn't concerned as he believed he had done everything right.

Addressing the leaked audio ahead of his speech at the New Hampshire Federation of Republican Women's annual fundraising gala, Trump sought to downplay its significance. Meanwhile, federal authorities have seized numerous classified documents from Trump's presidential days, some marked as "Top Secret."