TEHRAN - Paul R. Pillar, a non-resident Senior Fellow at the Center for Security Studies of Georgetown University, says “no one who places personal interests above the Constitution should ever be president.” 

Donald Trump, the 45th president of the United States from January 2017 to January 2021, has been charged with mishandling hundreds of classified documents, including about U.S. nuclear secrets and military plans. Trump, who is lying to investigators, is running for president again in 2024.

“It is not advisable for anyone who has shown the irresponsibility and disdain for national security that Trump has shown to be placed in any position of power and authority,” Pillar tells the Tehran Times in an exclusive interview on Wednesday. 

Following is the text of the interview:

1: Trump faces 37 felony counts, including mishandling classified documents. However, leading Republicans are divided over his federal indictment. For example, Nikki Halley says Trump was “incredibly reckless” but House Speaker McCarthy defended him. What is your opinion?

A: As should be clear to anyone who has read the indictment, Trump's offenses are serious, and any responsible prosecutor would have no choice but to bring charges against him.  It is regrettable that so many members of Trump's party are putting party before country and excusing his reprehensible conduct while voicing slurs against prosecutors who are only performing their duty.   

2: Why do you think Trump resisted the government’s attempts to retrieve the classified materials at his Florida home?

“The requirements that the U.S. Constitution specifies for anyone to become president are very minimal and refer only to age and natural-born citizenship.”

A: I believe Trump wanting to keep possession of the documents was just another example of him treating government institutions, property, and people as if they belonged to him personally--just as he used to speak of senior U.S. military leaders as "my generals".  

3: In terms of national security, is it advisable that such a person run for president?

A: It is not advisable for anyone who has shown the irresponsibility and disdain for national security that Trump has shown to be placed in any position of power and authority. 

4: David Super, a professor at Georgetown University Law Centre, says Trump “can be indicted any number of times” but “it won't stop his ability to stand for office." Is Super right? Please explain.

A: The requirements that the U.S. Constitution specifies for anyone to become president are very minimal and refer only to age and natural-born citizenship.  Even conviction, let alone indictment, does not disqualify someone for running for the presidency.

5: Trump claims he is a victim of witch hunt while in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election he strongly attacked Hillary Clinton for using personal email as secretary of state and chants of "lock her up" regularly featured at his rallies. How do you analyze such hypocrisy or contradiction?

A: Trump has never had any hesitation about being inconsistent, which is just another part of his chronic lying.  There is no comparison between Clinton's use of a home email server while she was in office and Trump's intentionally carting off large amounts of documents that belong to the government as he was leaving office, along with his prolonged efforts to resist their return and to obstruct the efforts of government authorities to have them returned.  

6: Also, talking about the January 6 incident, Mike Pence says Trump asked him to “choose between him and the Constitution.” Again, is it rational that a person who prefers the Constitution over personal interests to become commander-in-chief?

“Even conviction, let alone indictment, does not disqualify someone for running for the presidency.”

A: No one who places personal interests above the Constitution should ever be president.

7: Do non-American citizens have the right to think that the rule of law is crucified as some leading Republicans defend Trump and claim that the indictment against him is politically motivated?

A: It is unsurprising for citizens of other countries to observe what Trump has done and how Republicans are excusing his behavior and to conclude that the rule of law is in big trouble in the United States.

8: Biden is also facing his own special counsel investigation into documents from his time as vice president. What is your opinion in this regard?

A: As was the case with former vice president Pence, a small number of classified documents were, evidently inadvertently, in an office and a residence used by Biden.  Like Pence, Biden immediately saw to it that the documents were turned over and in other respects cooperated fully with the responsible authorities.  The special counsel who looked into the Pence situation determined that no further action is necessary, and I expect the same thing will be true with Biden.