Why wouldn't he have just copied the documents he wanted to keep and turn everything over?

[Solomon]

I'm sure somebody here can explain it. I don't understand the significance of wanting to have the original documents as opposed to copies.

Maybe the warrant isn't about those documents at all. Or maybe they know he made copies before giving them back?

[Abnredleg]

1. You can't prove a copy is genuine

Which decreases its value.

[Novara]

3. Exactly

I suspect he was going to sell it. It is worth less if it isn't the original stuff.

[uponit7771]

21. +1,

[allnews]

2. Moron

Probably clueless as to what was guaranteed to be beneficial in future. Just kept everything in case he could use later.

[Joinfortmill]

4. Hubris, aka - Arrogant F*ck.

His entire life has been one long crime spree.

[gab13by13]

12. You get it, he still fancies himself the president.

What Merrick Garland did should really shake up his ego. He isn't going to be in a very good mood when he gives his deposition to letitia James today. I expect him to say a lot of incriminating things today. He can't plead the 5th right, after what he said about people who plead the 5th?

[ecstatic]

20. That's exactly what I'm thinking

He's going to go in there angry about everything that has happened this week and let loose. He doesn't believe the rules apply to him. Hopefully, he'll say enough to get himself indicted by next week. Lol.

[obamanut2012]

5. Copies aren't worth much money

Not as much as seeing the real thing.

[Solomon]

10. Depends on what the document is and what you're using it for.

Even copies have some value though not as much as originals.

[gab13by13]

13. I agree, most of the classified documents have copies somewhere.

[Jarqui]

6. If for example, he sold some of the secrets

and they suspect it

The physical copies he has may be unique to tie him to the crime. (maybe the TOP SECRET stamp is unique on his copy for example)
Maybe the prints or DNA of people who should not have seen those documents is on them.

He may have the only copies of sensitive material that implicates him in some way.
Maybe he has some of the Mueller evidence ...

Probably a bunch more reasons beyond those possibilities.

[gab13by13]

7. Why, because he fancies himself still the president.

He gets away with flaunting the presidential seal and nothing is done to stop him. He did not believe that Merrick Garland had the guts to OK a search of Mar-el-Loco. Hats off to Merrick Garland for busting Trump's balls.

[patricia92243]

11. Yes!

[bucolic_frolic]

8. Originals : copies --- steak : Trump steak

[dclarston13]

9. The information may have been very valuable

And all that would be needed is your phone camera. Personally and with no facts to back it up, I think something was said/done at his golf tourny in Saudi that made the feds have to act quickly.

[Irish_Dem]

14. Trump wants info to sell, use for blackmail or revenge.

He must have the originals for those purposes.

[samnsara]

15. originals worth more on the market

[Bucky]

16. He would have to have a functioning understanding of what other people do

While a gifted con man and liar, it would surprise you to learn how little Trump understands about how the real world works. If someone's not right in front of him, it would never occur to him that they have opinions, information, inner life, or an independent point of view. He is a profoundly uncurious man. As Obama said, "Trump is not a plans kind of guy"

[NoMoreRepugs]

17. Over morning coffee I can see so many potential SlobFather crimes

still to be uncovered it’s a bit mind-boggling.

[MissMillie]

18. Well, (in addition to the other responses here) I'll add

I'm not entirely convinced he knows what he's kept. That might require actually READING the documents (or at the very least having one of his cronies reading them).

Seriously, I think he knows he's got classified stuff, but I'm also pretty sure he has no idea what that stuff is or why it's classified.

He's not that bright.

[Solomon]

22. Lol. I agree with you about him not reading them. Which means he took far more than he needed to

to make sure he had something valuable.

[haele]

27. He isn't, but Jared supposedly is. Or hangers-on like Benedict Mikey Flynn.

Jared spent pretty much his entire time as Family/Staff in the White House wheeling and dealing with foreigners and foreign lobbyists. I'm pretty sure he had a purchase list of classified information requests that he was just negotiating the price for while he was there.
TFG could get those documents without question. Jared could set up buyer's after taking the time to figure out the importance of them.
The only reason they grabbed boxes and took them down to Merde-a-Lago was because they knew TFG wouldn't have access anymore.

That's my theory.

Haele

[Pobeka]

19. Pretty sure the *information* on the materials is what is valuable.

But if you have the sole copy of that information, in TFG's case it is far more valuable than a copy of the information.

If you are planning to sell that information to foreign powers, or other megalomaniacs, then if you sell the only copy then you may feel somewhat protected that the NSA/CIA/FBI wouldn't know when that information was acted on because there is no reference copy.

But, the former dumbass guy doesn't know that every single document he took has a copy he never saw still in goernment control.

I think this is how his goose will be cooked, as they say.

[LiberalFighter]

26. Seems very logical. And vital for security.

[RazzleCat]

23. Secured document from photo copy

My transcript was printed in such a way that when you tried to photo copy it the information was distorted with a watermark saying copied document. Something about the light caused some sort of hidden print to cover up the information, and highlight the information that it was a copy.

I hated that "feature", it caused me to have to purchase a couple of extra copies of them, but on the bright side I could make as many copies as I wanted of my degree, and my letter with my GPA etc.

I have no idea if they use this tech, and or if its something that is easy to get around.

[LiberalFighter]

24. Maybe he gave copies back and kept originals for himself.

If they received copies the paper would be different and likely markings as such.

[spanone]

25. Arrogance.