It doesn’t “undercut” his arguement, he doesn’t have the legal authority to declassify everything in the first place. Him saying it on tape just proves he was aware that he didn’t have the authority so he can’t plead ignorance to this fact
“...he doesn’t have the legal authority to declassify everything in the first place.”
He does, in fact. The Supreme Court said so.
More BS
“he doesn’t have the legal authority to declassify everything in the first place.”
Yeah... he does. Tell us what you think he cannot declassify.
“...he doesn’t have the legal authority to declassify everything in the first place.”
If the president doesn’t have the authority, then who does?
Is the head of the national archives the president’s immediate supervisor? The attorney general? Special counsel? FBI director?
No, the president is the top dog, delegates his power to subordinates and can reverse that at will
You are 100% wrong about that. Disclosing classified information is illegal under Federal law, but there is no Federal law that determines what is and is not classified. Classification status of Executive Branch materials is established entirely within the Executive Branch of the U.S. government. This idea that the President of the U.S. is subject to the authority of Executive Branch departments that answer to him is ludicrous on its face, and has no basis in constitutional law.
The only limitations on the President’s declassification powers specifically pertain to US nuclear secrets. That’s it.
For everything else, he has plenary power to declassify at will or whimsy.
Your statement has no basis in fact. The president has the ultimate authority to declassify any and all information. Not only that but he has the authority to tell the American people any information he wishes. No one has a higher authority to tell him what not to say. Nor does any agency have a right to keep things from the president.
This is the big problem in Washington, unelected persons thinking they have more power that the president of the United States.