Classified Documents Found at Former U.S. Vice President Pence's Residence

[Asia Economy New York=Special Correspondent Joselgina] Classified documents were also found at the residence of former Vice President Mike Pence, who served in the Donald Trump administration. The scandal involving the leakage of classified documents from current and former U.S. leaders appears to be spreading further.

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

Local media such as CNN and The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on the 24th (local time) that Pence's legal team discovered classified documents at his Indiana residence and returned them to the National Archives.

This is the third time classified documents have been found in the personal spaces of current or former U.S. presidents or vice presidents, following former President Trump and President Joe Biden. Pence had previously stated in interviews with ABC News, AP News, and others that he did not possess any classified documents amid the Trump document scandal.

According to a letter sent by Pence's representative to the National Archives on the 18th, Pence's legal team conducted an investigation as a precaution immediately after classified documents from Biden’s vice presidential period were found in a personal space. Subsequently, they discovered documents marked classified stored in boxes at his Indiana residence.

Accordingly, after sending the letter to the National Archives, Pence’s side handed over the documents. WSJ reported that the letter from Pence’s side stated that Pence was unaware of the existence of these documents.

The Department of Justice and the FBI are currently investigating the documents. They are also examining the circumstances under which the documents were found at Pence’s residence.

Following the discovery of classified documents in the personal spaces of former and current presidents and now Vice President Pence, the related scandal is expanding further. Criticism is mounting regarding systemic issues in the administration’s classified document management system.

Meanwhile, a poll ahead of next year’s presidential election showed President Biden trailing former President Trump within the margin of error in a hypothetical matchup. Emerson College conducted a poll from the 19th to the 21st among 1,015 registered U.S. voters on the 2024 presidential election hypothetical matchup (margin of error ±3%). Biden’s approval rating was 41%, trailing Trump’s 44% by 3 percentage points. In the previous poll conducted in November last year, Biden led Trump with 45% to 41%.