Classified material in the hands of the Presidents

 The Federalist Wire:

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President Joe Biden’s history with classified documents has cast new light on the upcoming presidential transition to Donald Trump. Both leaders have been criticized for mishandling sensitive materials in the past, raising questions about how each will approach the transition process this time.

The similarities in their records are striking. Each has faced accusations over the improper handling of classified information after leaving office. “The president is committed to making sure this transition is effective and efficient, and he’s doing that because this is the norm,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday. “But also because this is the right thing to do for the American people.”

It’s a goal that has proven elusive in past transitions. In August 2022, the FBI raided Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, seizing documents from his first term stored there. The following month, Biden questioned “how … anyone could be that irresponsible” in leaving classified documents unsecured.

But just weeks later, sensitive materials from the Obama-Biden administration were found in Biden’s private office, and reports surfaced that Biden knew about classified documents in his home as early as 2017.

As both leaders prepare for the upcoming transition, frustrations have surfaced across the political spectrum. Bradley Moss, a national security attorney and critic of Trump’s document storage practices at Mar-a-Lago, argued that Trump’s lack of consequences could make Biden less inclined to comply fully.
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When I was a young officer in the Marine Corps I handled classified documents working in the communication center.  I would review the documents as they came in and then get them to the appropriate persons.  The senior officers such as generals would have someone in their office responsible for taking care of the documents.  I suspect that is true of the presidents.  Depending on the level of secrecy required for the documents they would be stored out of the reach of most troops.  This story does not indicate whether any unauthorized person had access to the documents at Mar-a-Largo.