Leaders are meant to state secrets — just not at home

By Calvin Woodward and Chris Megerian

WASHINGTON

Democrats responded with aggrieved fury when former President Trump was found in possession of classified documents that should have been turned over to the government when he left office. Then disclosures that President Biden also mishandled secret papers set loose a Republican “well, what about” roar.

Now, with another discovery of classified documents, this time at the home of Mr. Trump’s vice president, Mike Pence, the partisan finger-pointing seems to be melting into a chorus of mortification from Democrats and Republicans.

The highest U.S. secrets, it

Pence President Biden now appears, are not necessarily safe with the highest officials. Not when they’re in the hands of Mr. Trump, who disdains the rules and customs of government, and not in the hands of President Biden and Mr. Pence, who subscribe to them.

“What the hell’s going on around here?” asked Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, when asked about Mr. Pence.