Mental telepathy does not work to declassify secret government documents!

The 49-page indictment of former guy Donald Trump is packed with gobsmacking (shocking!) revelations about the highly classified and sensitive documents that federal prosecutors say he kept illegally at Mar-a-Lago. 

But one paragraph is particularly unnerving.

The classified documents Trump stored included 31 that, it says, “included information regarding defense and weapons capabilities of both the United States and foreign countries; United States nuclear programs; potential vulnerabilities of the United States and its allies to military attack; and plans for possible retaliation in response to a foreign attack.”

Let that sink in. A former president kept documents containing secrets about the world’s most powerful and deadly weapons, casually and loosely stored in boxes “in various locations at The Mar-a-Lago Club — including in a ballroom, a bathroom and shower, an office space, his bedroom, and a storage room.”

In a ballroom? In a shower? Really?

The indictment also included transcripts from an audio recording from a 2021, meeting at Trump’s estate in Bedminster, N.J. Trump discusses an apparently classified Pentagon document about attacking Iran, acknowledging that he had retained “secret” military information that he had not declassified — a flagrant violation of federal law.

“Secret,” Trump says in the recording. “This is secret information. Look, look at this.” He waves the document toward his audience, two book researchers and several former aides, none of whom had security clearance. “This was done by the military and given to me.”

Now, every American, and particularly Republican primary voters, must ask themselves: How can this presidential candidate possibly be trusted to lead our nation if he shows off classified information to civilians as if it’s a hunting trophy?

Trump’s lawyer told CNN that the charges, which the lawyer hadn’t even read at that point, were “ludicrous” and “a crazy stretch.” We encourage readers to decide for themselves. Read the indictment and the transcripts of multiple conversations in which Trump brags about the documents in his possession.

“As president I could’ve declassified it,” he bragged, undercutting any defense that he didn’t realize what he’d done.

“Now I can’t, you know, but this is still a secret,” he continued.

A staffer responds with laughter: “Now we have a problem.”

Trump doesn’t seem to see it that way, of course. He’s maintained his defensive posture, fundraising off the news that his own attorney broke Thursday evening. But the charges are serious.

Trump faces 38 felony charges. Each carries the possibility of a lengthy prison stay. But according to the Washington Post, there are no minimum sentences attached to these charges, so it’s hard to say what would happen if he is convicted.

Several other Republican presidential candidates rushed to frontrunner Trump’s defense this week. “The American people are exhausted by the prosecutorial overreach, double standards, and vendetta politics,” Nikki Haley tweeted.

Mike Pence called it a “sad day” and said he hoped the “issues” would be resolved without “moving forward with charges.”

Sen. Ted Cruz called the federal charges “garbage.”

All before the indictment was even unsealed. Now that the details and transcripts can be read, will that change politicians’ or primary voters’ minds? Maybe not.

“The sense from many Republican voters is that this is all about politics,” pollster Neil Newhouse told the Associated Press.

We believe voters and leaders can rise above politics when our national security, the safety of the armed forces and the basic rule of law are on the line. Now is one of those times.

It won’t happen easily. Trust in media and other institutions is at a low. Many Americans are fed viewpoints by social media algorithms that reflect their existing beliefs. That’s why it’s so important to commit yourself to follow the case carefully.

Step out of your information silos, read the indictment ❗and do some critical thinking. You can be the trusted person who informs your family and community. The country needs nothing less to safeguard our democracy.