So, could Trump declassify National Defense Information at will? Essentially, the logic is that whoever has the authority to classify documents also has the authority to declassify documents. And, all classification authority under these executive orders ultimately stems from the president, so the assertion that Trump could have declassified those documents as he saw fit is probably plausible. However, valid declassification actions require procedures, records, and logging, and arguably ought to have been marked as declassified prior to entering into private hands. This defense has never been litigated, however, so the limits a president might have in this area remain uncertain. Typically, classification violations are handled administratively—revoked security clearance, terminated employment, etc.—and not as criminal cases