Posts from conservatives distort past presidents' handling of classified records | Fact check

[phkrause]

The claim: Clinton, Bush, Obama, Biden and Pence all took classified documents after leaving White House

A June 7 Instagram post (direct link, archive link) from Donald Trump Jr. shows a screenshot of a tweet from conservative commentator Alex Bruesewitz.

"Clinton takes classified documents: *no charges,*" reads the post. "Bush takes classified documents: *no charges.* Obama takes classified documents: *no charges.* Biden takes classified documents: *no charges.* Pence takes classified documents: *no charges.* THIS DOCUMENTS CASE AGAINST TRUMP IS TOTAL BSQ!"

The post generated nearly 40,000 likes in less than two days and the tweet amassed over 16,000 likes. Similar posts have generated hundreds of interactions on Facebook and Instagram.

Our rating: Partly false

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2023/06/09/post-distorts-past-presidents-handling-of-classified-records-fact-check/70304596007/?

[phkrause]

Comparison of presidents’ classified records handling distorts cooperation with authorities

If Your Time is short

• A comparison of past presidents’ handling of classified documents after office is distorted. The documents of George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama were transferred to temporary sites in cooperation with the National Archives.

• Donald Trump kept documents after his presidency without authorization at his Mar-a-Lago resort.

• There is still a lot we don’t know about Joe Biden’s case, but the Instagram post’s assertion that Biden “had no power” to declassify classified documents in his possession is premature.

• https://www.politifact.com/article/2023/jan/31/comparison-in-social-media-post-distorts-past-pres/