Trump admitted on tape keeping a secret document that was never declassified, CNN reports, citing audio transcript

• CNN obtained a transcript of a tape in which Donald Trump said he didn't declassify "secret" information.
• In a 2021 meeting, Trump discussed — and maybe showed — a classified Pentagon document about attacking Iran.

Former President Donald Trump admitted during a 2021 meeting at his Bedminster, New Jersey, resort that he did not declassify "secret" military intel that he had retained, according to a transcript of the audio recording obtained by CNN.

The tape, which CNN said was initially obtained by prosecutors, covers a part of the meeting in which Trump was discussing a classified Pentagon document about attacking Iran.

According to the transcript, the former president at one point said: "As president, I could have declassified, but now I can't."

The audio recording also appeared to suggest that Trump showed a document to others in the room, with sources describing the sound of paper rustling, CNN reported.

The media outlet said that two people working on an autobiography of his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, as well as his aides, were in the room at the time.

"Secret. This is secret information. Look, look at this," Trump said in the recording, according to the transcript. "This was done by the military and given to me."

On another occasion, CNN said the transcript shows the former president referring to the document as "highly confidential" and "secret."

Prosecutors subpoenaed Trump for the document referenced in the record in March, with CNN noting that Trump's lawyers provided some related files but said they could not find the specific document in question.

Last week, CNN reported on the recording obtained by federal prosecutors in which Trump acknowledged that he had taken a classified document.

According to CNN, sources said that special prosecutor Jack Smith had been examining it as an "important" piece of evidence in his probe into Trump's handling of classified documents after he left the White House.

Trump was ultimately indicted on Thursday evening and charged with seven counts.

He has denied wrongdoing, while also using a baseless argument to suggest that he could declassify documents just by thinking about it.

Trump's post-presidency office did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.