(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Federal officials who investigated President Donald Trump in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case may have themselves mishandled classified material, according to newly released documents.
The alleged mishandling by officials within the Biden-era DOJ and the office of Special Counsel Jack Smith suggests “hypocritical” and “careless behavior,” according to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley.
Grassley revealed the allegations in a Wednesday press release after obtaining documents from the Trump administration’s DOJ.
In the release reviewed by Headline USA, Grassley said internal Biden-era documents indicate that an individual was granted access to classified materials without first confirming they had the required “need to know.”
Another document suggests that the Biden DOJ could not account for the “potential movement” of classified materials housed inside a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or SCIF.
Grassley also revealed that the Biden DOJ left a SCIF unsecured overnight and potentially longer.
🚨 BREAKING: Messages obtained by Chairman @ChuckGrassley show Biden DOJ personnel, including personnel assigned to Jack Smith's Special Counsel Office (SCO), potentially MISHANDLED classified material – while Jack Smith was in the process of prosecuting the classified documents…
— Senate Judiciary Republicans (@SenJudiciaryGOP) July 8, 2026
The Biden DOJ’s alleged mishandling of classified materials is at odds with its aggressive prosecution of Trump over the Mar-a-Lago case.
Through Smith’s office, the Biden administration launched a criminal investigation into Trump after he left office in 2021.
Smith later secured a 40-count indictment against Trump in July 2023, though the case was ultimately dismissed.
In a letter to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, Grassley urged the DOJ to investigate the matter further and release more documents.
Grassley said he wants to know whether any classified materials were altered and whether anyone was held accountable for the potential security mishaps.
In a statement, Grassley blasted what he described as “yet another example of double standard of justice.”
“Talk about the pot calling the kettle black,” Grassley said. “According to these messages, Biden DOJ personnel may have committed the very offense for which Jack Smith was prosecuting President Trump.”
Grassley also pointed to Hillary Clinton, the twice-failed presidential candidate, and Joe Biden, the former president, arguing that both escaped “accountability for mishandling highly classified information,” all while prosecutors painted “Trump as a felon.”
“These and other records I’ve made public show the Biden Justice Department was unquestionably careless, not to mention highly hypocritical,” Grassley added.
2day I released msgs showing Biden DOJ personnel incl ppl assigned to Jack Smith's Special Counsel Office potentially mishandled CLASSIFIED MATERIAL while Smith ws prosecuting Pres Trump 4that very offense
Msgs indicate HYPOCRITICAL+CARELESS BEHAVIOR &merit further investigation
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) July 8, 2026
