Palm Beach, Florida - Donald Trump's former chief of staff reportedly said he does not recall classified documents taken from the White House being declassified, undermining one of the ex-president's main defenses in the case.

According to ABC News, several sources claim that Mark Meadows, who served as the White House chief of staff during Trump's administration, testified to special counsel Jack Smith that he had no knowledge of Trump attempting to, or even discussing how to, declassify documents.

Meadows also admitted that he had a passage from an early draft of his ghostwritten book, The Chief's Chief, removed because it references a classified war plan that was sitting "on a couch" at Trump's office in Bedminster, New Jersey during a meeting.

Last August, the FBI raided Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, retrieving hundreds of secret materials Trump took after leaving the White House after authorities had been asking for their return for months.

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The Department of Justice launched an investigation, and in June, special counsel Jack Smith charges were filed against the former president in the case.

Trump has pled not guilty to all charges, and still maintains his innocence, arguing that he personally declassified everything before leaving office – going as far to say he did so with his mind – or because no such declassification was necessary.

Meadows' reported testimony would contradict some of these justifications, which may be taken into account when the trial begins on May 20, 2024.