The FBI investigation into the mishandling of classified documents from the Trump White House has been given the code name “Plasmic Echo,” as revealed in unredacted court filings published in the special counsel’s criminal case against former President Donald Trump. The case file, marked with the case ID “[Redacted] PLASMIC ECHO; Mishandling of Classified or National Defense Information,” includes an FBI summary of information received from the National Archives about classified documents found in 15 boxes of materials returned by Trump earlier in the year.
The Justice Department has declined to comment on the investigation, and CNN has reached out to the FBI for more information. The name “Plasmic Echo” joins a list of other well-known FBI investigations, such as “Crossfire Hurricane” involving Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, “Midyear Exam” regarding Hillary Clinton’s emails, and “Varsity Blues” on the college admissions bribery scandal. Trump’s legal team submitted the case file, along with hundreds of pages of exhibits, to support his efforts to obtain more records from the federal government in the case, seeking records from several agencies including the National Archives and President Biden’s White House.
A heavily redacted version of Trump’s request for records has been on the court’s docket for weeks, but on Monday, a version with fewer redactions was made public. US District Judge Aileen Cannon had ordered several previously redacted details to be unsealed, while other sensitive information, including the names of witnesses, would remain redacted. The investigation into the mishandling of classified documents from the Trump White House under the code name “Plasmic Echo” continues to unfold, with Trump seeking more records from various agencies in his defense against the allegations.
As more details emerge in the investigation, the use of the code name “Plasmic Echo” highlights the significance of the case and the potential implications for Trump. With parallels drawn to other high-profile FBI investigations, such as “Crossfire Hurricane” and “Midyear Exam,” the handling of classified information from the Trump White House is under intense scrutiny. Trump’s legal team’s efforts to obtain more records from the federal government and the involvement of various agencies, including the National Archives and President Biden’s White House, indicate the complex nature of the case and its potential impact on Trump’s defense strategy.
The revelation of the code name “Plasmic Echo” sheds light on the intricacies of the FBI investigation and the extent to which classified documents from the Trump White House are being scrutinized. With ongoing developments in the case and the submission of supporting exhibits by Trump’s legal team, the request for more records from federal agencies underscores the importance of obtaining all relevant information in the defense against the allegations. As the case progresses and more information is made public, the use of the code name “Plasmic Echo” will likely become more widely known and associated with the investigation into the mishandling of classified documents from the Trump White House.
