New details have been uncovered by the special counsel’s investigation into the former president donald trump‘S Dealing with classified information have heightened the anticipation of a serious political moment.

What happened: The National Archives and Records Administration has informed Trump that it is preparing to ship 16 records Special Advisor JackSmithaccording to several sources, reported from CNN.

These records reportedly show that Trump and his key advisers were aware of the allegations Procedure for releasing documents during his tenure in the White House.

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“The 16 records in question reflect all communications between close advisers to the President, some addressed to you personally, regarding whether, why and how you should release certain confidential records,” the acting archivist said Debra Steidel Wall wrote to Trump in a May 16 letter obtained by the publication.

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According to a source familiar with recent testimonies by former senior Trump officials before the grand jury, the recordings could shed light on Trump’s intentions and whether they are He knowingly ignored the logs.

Why it matters: The former president is under investigation for alleged mishandling of confidential materials recovered from his Mar-a-Lago estate in August last year. Trump and his allies have repeatedly claimed that a specific declassification process failed to bind the former US leader during his presidency.

Recent statements by Trump himself have reignited the debate. During a CNN town hall meeting last weekTrump reiterated his belief that he declassified the classified documents simply by removing them from the White House. “And by the way, if I take them, they’ll be released automatically,” Trump said.

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