Secret papers, gifts, a letter from Kim Jong-un: the 15 boxes Trump took out of the White House and the new scandal he left behind

donald trump he left the White House a year ago, but part of the White House stayed with him. In the middle of the judicial investigations about his and his family’s business in New York, a week ago they were removed from his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, 15 boxes with presidential documentswhich included a letter from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, as well as several papers considered secret.

All this material had to be delivered at the end of his mandate to the National Archives, which are in charge of registering all paper or communication concerning the presidency of United States, so that no detail of each of the actions of the leaders escapes, in a rigorous task of framing the historical memory of the country. But Trump, breaking the law, decided to take them to Florida.

The scandal has already prompted a legislative commission to launch an investigation into the handling of the White House files during the administration. Trump.

Although the former president has said that he had no obligation to hand over any material from the White Housea 1978 law – which was passed after the Watergate scandal – establishes that every American president must transmit all his lettersemails and work communications to the archives.

The matter is not minor, and even more so now that the events of January 6, 2021 are being investigated in detail, when a pro-Trump mob broke into the Capitol and it is about establishing responsibilities, since there are gaps in official documents and in the registry of emails and phone calls.

“A president of the United States is constantly exposed to scrutiny that goes beyond the legal measures that are required. For example, when Trump refused to publicly offer his tax records, it was unthinkable, since in this country the word ” is relied upon a lot.comments to El Comercio the political scientist María Puerta Riera, professor of Political Science at Valencia College, in Orlando.

The lack of attachment Trump he is known for the rules because he imposed his personality and style on the presidency, something that was highly criticized by half of the country, but highly celebrated by the other, which constitutes his loyal base to this day. That is why, when he argued, without much basis, that there was fraud in the 2020 elections, he planted mistrust in an electoral system that had never been the subject of doubt.

“Trump comes from a world where he was not used to the rules of the game and limitations. He transferred his dark ways as an entrepreneur to the space of the White House, where all actions and decisions must be transparent “he adds.

“We are talking about taking documents in violation of the law, and that is perfectly established. He knew what he was doing by taking that documentation”, says Puerta Riera

down the toilet

But the scandal of the boxes goes further. Maggie Haberman, the “New York Times” journalist who has covered Trump’s presidency in detail, tells in the book “Confidence man”, to be published soon, that White House staff regularly found documents stuck in the former president’s toilet , as well as other wads of damp, chipboard printed paper, in a supposed sign that he wanted to get rid of them.

The newspaper “The Washington Post” also revealed that Trump “shredded” supposedly confidential documents, while the National Archives have found papers stuck with adhesive tape. In addition, the former president did not use email and did not want his closest associates to write on paper notes while they were in the White House.

“This revelation not only damages the image of the United States, but also the trust that exists in an institution such as the presidency. And this contributes to fueling the perception that American democracy is seriously damaged.”says Puerta Riera.

“The most serious thing about this is the legacy of a tremendous institutional breakdown, but also a problem of moral corruption that is very difficult to ignore”.

The law states that hiding or destroying files is a crime punishable by up to three years in prison, while storing confidential information in an unauthorized location can be punished by up to five years in prison.

Until today, there has not been a case in which a former president is sanctioned for violating the Presidential Archives Law. Trump could become the first.