Classified documents discussed by Trump on leaked audio reveal Mark Milley had plan to attack Iran: report

CNN is primarily interested in what the existence of this recording means in terms of the DOJ case against Trump.

Many past presidents, including Barack Obama, have retained classified documents for the purpose of writing books, as was done in this case. The book in question for which the materials were sourced was that of Trump's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

The document detailed a plan drafted by General Mark Milley to attack Iran.

In Meadows’ autobiography, it recalls the 2021 meeting at Trump’s Bedminster, New Jersey golf club, stating that Trump "recalls a four-page report typed up by (Trump’s former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) Mark Milley himself. It contained the general’s own plan to attack Iran, deploying massive numbers of troops, something he urged President Trump to do more than once during his presidency."

Sources told CNN that Meadows was not provided with the document referenced by Trump.

The meeting was held shortly after the New Yorker published a story stating that following the election in 2020, Milley repeatedly argued against carrying out a strike on Iran and was concerned that Trump "might set in motion a full-scale conflict that was not justified."

In the recording, Trump brought up the documents in response to the story, telling the room that if he could reveal the documents to others, it would undermine Milley’s statements, the sources said.

The recording of this conversation is now a focal point of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into classified documents held at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.

Sources told CNN that the recording was an "important" piece of evidence in the potential case against Trump, leading investigators to question Milley about the meeting.