"Wow!": Trump gets schooled after whining that Biden won't face charges over classified docs

"Trump was given every chance to return the documents," says ex-U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance

By Tatyana Tandanpolie

Staff Writer

Published November 17, 2023 11:13AM (EST)

Joe Biden and Donald Trump (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)
Joe Biden and Donald Trump (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)

Special counsel Robert Hur is not expected to charge anyone in his investigation into the mishandling of classified documents at two locations connected to President Joe Biden, two sources close to the investigation told CNN. Hur and his team are crafting a detailed report about the year-long probe that is expected to be critical of Biden and his staff for their handling of sensitive materials and go into extensive detail about the special counsel's findings. Investigators on Hur's team have informed other Department of Justice officials that they aim to complete the report by the end of the year, but that timeline could change. 

Former President Donald Trump raged on social media after learning of the CNN report, bemoaning a supposed double standard. "WOW! FAKE NEWS CNN, THROUGH A LEAK FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF INJUSTICE, HAS JUST REPORTED THAT NO CHARGES WILL BE FILED IN THE (MUCH BIGGER THAN MINE!!!) CROOKED JOE BIDEN DOCUMENTS CASE. WE ARE LIVING IN A VERY CORRUPT COUNTRY!" he wrote on Truth Social Friday morning.

Former U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance notes, however, that Biden's case — and that of former Vice President Mike Pence, who was also investigated for mishandling classified documents but left unscathed  — are very different from Trump's. "Trump was given every chance to return the documents after the National Archives realized they were missing. Biden & Pence both self-reported," Vance wrote on X/Twitter. "The biggest problem for Trump is his lengthy history of trying to hold onto documents when asked, even subpoenaed, for them."