Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday that he believes former President Trump took classified documents from the federal government and kept them at his Mar-a-Lago residence as a "trophy."
Why it matters: Christie also said he thinks Trump's actions, as alleged by a Washington Post report last week, amounted to obstruction but said the Justice Department may struggle to concretely prove obstruction occurred if a case is brought against the former president.
- The Post reported that a Trump employee told federal agents about being directed by the former president to move boxes of classified documents after the government had subpoenaed Trump.
What they're saying: "Well, yes," Christie said, agreeing with host George Stephanopoulos' description of Trump's actions in the Post report as obstruction.
- "Look, none of us, I think, who know him are surprised. He wanted to keep these documents as a trophy. That's what they were more than anything else, he added, saying he did not think Trump took them for "leverage."
- "I think it's much more likely that they're a trophy, that he walks around and says, 'Look, I got this, I've got this classified document or that.'"
- "Because, remember something, he can't believe he's not president. He can't believe he still doesn't get these documents. And he needs to display to everybody down at Mar-a-Lago, or up in Bedminster during the summer, that he still has some of those trappings."
The big picture: The Department of Justice last week appealed the decision to appoint a special master to review documents retrieved by the FBI through a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago in August.
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