WASHINGTON –
US President Joe Biden said the discovery of top-secret documents at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate raised concerns that sensitive data had been compromised, calling it “” irresponsible”.
Biden, who rarely gives interviews, spoke to CBS station “60 Minutes” during a segment that aired on Sunday. He said that when he heard about classified documents taken from the White House, he wondered how “anyone could be so irresponsible.”
Biden added: “And I think, what data in there could compromise the sources and methods?”
The president said he didn’t know before the Trump compound was searched, and he hasn’t asked for any specifics “because I don’t want to be in the middle of whether or not the Justice Department should move. perform certain actions they can take.”
The FBI said it lost about 11,000 documents, including about 100 classified documents found in archives and offices, while serving a court-approved search warrant at home on Dec. August 8. Weeks after the search, Trump’s lawyers asked for a judge. appoint a special master to conduct an independent review of the records.
The subpoena says federal agents are investigating potential violations of three different federal laws, including one that regulates the collection, transmission, or loss of defense information under the Espionage Act.
Biden told “60 Minutes” that when he heard the classified documents were taken from the White House, he wondered how “someone can be so irresponsible.”
“And what data do I think is in there that could compromise sources and methods?”
In the wide-ranging interview, the president would not commit to running for re-election in 2024, although he has previously said he planned to.
“My intention, as I said at the beginning, was that I would run again,” he said, “But that was just an intention. But is it a solid decision that I run again? That remains to be seen.”
Biden was asked about growing concerns that Russia’s attempt to occupy Ukraine could inspire Chinese leader Xi Jinping to attack Taiwan. The island has been recognized by the US as part of China but has its own democratic government. Xi and Russian President Vladimir Putin met last week.
Biden again said US forces would respond “if in fact there is an unprecedented attack.”
White House officials later said official US policy had not changed, and did not say whether US forces would be called upon to defend Taiwan. Biden has made statements before, but the statements come at a time of growing tension for US-China relations, especially after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip there in September. before.
Beijing sees official US contact with Taiwan as an incentive to make the island de facto independent for decades, a move that Biden and other US leaders say they not support.
The president said the US commitment to Ukraine was “not okay” and would remain so “for as long as it is needed.” The Ukrainian army is engaged in a counter-offensive to retake towns and cities from the Russian army. But the damage the war has done is immense, and new atrocities are being revealed, including torture chambers and mass graves. Since January 2021, the US has provided more than $13.5 billion in security aid to Ukraine.
At the same time, “60 Minutes” also aired an interview with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who will speak before the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week. Raisi echoed Iran’s standard lines about the state of the currently stalled nuclear negotiations with world powers. He said the US was not trustworthy and demanded guarantees that the US would not withdraw from a deal like President Donald Trump did in 2018.
Raisi said he has no plans to meet Biden on the sidelines of the United Nations event because it would serve no purpose, although he reiterated that Iran is open to discussing a prisoner exchange with the United States. He also defended his country’s anti-Israel stance and said Tehran was committed to pursuing “justice” for the assassination of a top Iranian military commander.
