Trump says he can declassify documents just "by thinking about it".

[inquiring mind]

Yes, they can declassify almost anything but not by just thinking about it.

https://www.denver7.com/news/local-...-where-does-that-presidential-power-come-from
“There are some people who argue that that case has been misinterpreted, and said that it doesn't actually give the president as much authority as later interpreters have said. But that's generally how courts have treated, though, is that the president has this very substantial authority and can just kind of wave a magic wand and make a document declassified if he chooses to do so," said Dunn.

 

[helmut]

How US presidents can declassify documents | verifythis.com

I don't have access to this page

»You don't have permission to access "How US presidents can declassify documents | verifythis.com" on this server.«

»You don't have permission to access "VERIFYThis.com: Fact-Checking Your Questions About What’s True And False | verifythis.com" on this server.«

Maybe because I'm outside the USA?

 

[LizaMarie]

Yes, they can declassify almost anything but not by just thinking about it.

Yes the President has wide latitude to declassify documents but it only makes rational sense to me as a layperson that there would be records somewhere that would record which were declassified. I simply can't believe the claim I'm being asked to believe at this point that a President can declassify anything just by thinking about it with no paper tail......Wouldn't that be a nightmare for national security?

 

[inquiring mind]

I don't have access to this page

»You don't have permission to access "How US presidents can declassify documents | verifythis.com" on this server.«

»You don't have permission to access "VERIFYThis.com: Fact-Checking Your Questions About What’s True And False | verifythis.com" on this server.«

Maybe because I'm outside the USA?

https://www.denver7.com/news/local-...-where-does-that-presidential-power-come-from

 

[helmut]

Yes the President has wide latitude to declassify documents but it only makes rational sense to me as a layperson that there would be records somewhere that would record which were declassified. I simply can't believe the claim I'm being asked to believe at this point that a President can declassify anything just by thinking about it with no paper tail......Wouldn't that be a nightmare for national security?

What is the difference between a president just thinking of declassification some material, but telling about that only months after the end of his mandate, and an ex-president who several month after his mandate tells that some material is declassified (which an ex-president is not allowed to do)?

 

[inquiring mind]

Yes the President has wide latitude to declassify documents but it only makes rational sense to me as a layperson that there would be records somewhere that would record which were declassified. I simply can't believe the claim I'm being asked to believe at this point that a President can declassify anything just by thinking about it with no paper tail......Wouldn't that be a nightmare for national security?

I'm only posting what I've found for you to study and draw conclusions from yourself. It seems simple, but its more complicated than it first appears. Something else to be drawn out.

 

[Yttrium]

https://www.denver7.com/news/local-...-where-does-that-presidential-power-come-from
“There are some people who argue that that case has been misinterpreted, and said that it doesn't actually give the president as much authority as later interpreters have said. But that's generally how courts have treated, though, is that the president has this very substantial authority and can just kind of wave a magic wand and make a document declassified if he chooses to do so," said Dunn.

And how would anybody know?

Apply some common sense. If he just thought it declassified, no one else would know, and everyone would just carry on as if they were classified. So they're still classified. He has to tell someone so that it can be properly recorded.

 

[inquiring mind]

And how would anybody know?

Apply some common sense. If he just thought it declassified, no one else would know, and everyone would just carry on as if they were classified. So they're still classified. He has to tell someone so that it can be properly recorded.

Draw your own conclusions. From the first link: "Kash Patel, who served as chief of staff for the acting defense secretary during the Trump administration, also claimed that Trump had declassified the documents."

 

[inquiring mind]

IMO, this is just another Dem attempt to add ballast to their very unstable ship.

 

[helmut]

From the link:
…
“He can just say, ‘I decide that this should be declassified,’ and it’s declassified,” McClanahan said."
I don't know how he could be any more plain with his opinion.

Yes, if the president says something should be declassified, this order has to be respected. But just thinking is not mentioned in your text.

So any claim Trump could declassify by just thinking about it is not supported by what you posted.

 

[LizaMarie]

What is the difference between a president just thinking of declassification some material, but telling about that only months after the end of his mandate, and an ex-president who several month after his mandate tells that some material is declassified (which an ex-president is not allowed to do)?

It makes no rational sense to me that there would not be a record of the declassifications somewhere, or that someone in the former administration could confirm it.
Yes, the President has wide powers but there has to be a paper trail. Those can be brought up in court.
No one has stepped up so far to confirm that he has declassified certain documents.

 

[Hank77]

From the link:
"Current presidents can classify documents as long as they can “make a plausible argument that it is related to national security.” On the other hand, the president “doesn’t have to give any reason for declassifying” information, according to McClanahan.

“He can just say, ‘I decide that this should be declassified,’ and it’s declassified,” McClanahan said."
I don't know how he could be any more plain with his opinion.

To prevail in any claim of declassification, inferred
or otherwise, the Times must show: first, that President Trump’s statements are sufficiently specific; and second, that such statements subsequently triggered actual declassification.

Declassification cannot occur unless designated officials follow specified procedures. Moreover, courts cannot “simply assume, over the well-documented and specific affidavits of the CIA to the contrary,” that [FOIA] disclosure is required simply because the information has already been made public.

https://cases.justia.com/federal/appellate-courts/ca2/18-211/18-2112-2020-07-09.pdf?ts=1594303207

 

[LizaMarie]

I'm only posting what I've found for you to study and draw conclusions from yourself. It seems simple, but its more complicated than it first appears. Something else to be drawn out.

It makes no rational sense to me that he can do so just by thought without a protocol or paper trail to be able to point to. Of course he can declassify things(When he was President, he is not now.) But there needs to be supporting documentation or confirmation somewhere. So far we have not seen that. Perhaps that remains to be seen.

 

[inquiring mind]

Yes, if the president says something should be declassified, this order has to be respected. But just thinking is not mentioned in your text.

So any claim Trump could declassify by just thinking about it is not supported by what you posted.

https://www.denver7.com/news/local-...-where-does-that-presidential-power-come-from
“There are some people who argue that that case has been misinterpreted, and said that it doesn't actually give the president as much authority as later interpreters have said. But that's generally how courts have treated, though, is that the president has this very substantial authority and can just kind of wave a magic wand and make a document declassified if he chooses to do so," said Dunn.

 

[inquiring mind]

As I said, it will likely come to naught... more drawn out distraction from failing policies, imo.

 

[inquiring mind]

No one has stepped up so far to confirm that he has declassified certain documents.

From the first link: "Kash Patel, who served as chief of staff for the acting defense secretary during the Trump administration, also claimed that Trump had declassified the documents."
I don't think you guys are reading.

 

[inquiring mind]

It's like when you hook a submerged bush or log while fishing, at first you think it's the big one, but after a while you realize...

 

[adrianmonk]

From the first link: "Kash Patel, who served as chief of staff for the acting defense secretary during the Trump administration, also claimed that Trump had declassified the documents."
I don't think you guys are reading.

Then Kash Patel should state under oath, under penalty of perjury that these documents were declassified.

 

[adrianmonk]

https://www.denver7.com/news/local-...-where-does-that-presidential-power-come-from
“There are some people who argue that that case has been misinterpreted, and said that it doesn't actually give the president as much authority as later interpreters have said. But that's generally how courts have treated, though, is that the president has this very substantial authority and can just kind of wave a magic wand and make a document declassified if he chooses to do so," said Dunn.

The reason there is a process is so that these wand waves can be documented as having occurred. Otherwise you are claiming that ex-presidents can declassify documents after leaving office.

 

[inquiring mind]

Then Kash Patel should state under oath, under penalty of perjury that these documents were declassified.

Round robin here, but I think I read that the attorneys don't want to do that right now. I don't have a clue why not.