The FBI searched former US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate as part of an investigation into whether he moved classified files from the White House to his Florida residence, people familiar with the matter said Monday. Trump revealed the action in a lengthy statement, claiming agents raided his safe in an investigation he described as evidence of “dark times for our nation.” The investigation, which the FBI and US Justice Department did not immediately confirm, marks a dramatic escalation in law enforcement scrutiny of Trump and comes amid a separate but intensifying investigation into efforts to overturn the results of his presidential election. 2020. Trump and his allies immediately sought to frame the investigation as part of a Democratic-led effort to prevent him from winning another term in 2024, even though the Biden White House said it had no prior knowledge of it and the current FBI Director Christopher Wray. , was appointed by Trump five years ago and served as a top official in the Republican-led Justice Department. “After working and cooperating with the appropriate government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was neither necessary nor appropriate,” Trump said in his statement. He added: “These are dark times for our Nation as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is under siege, raided and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.” Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson declined to comment on the investigation, including whether Attorney General Merrick Garland had personally authorized the investigation. Trump did not elaborate on the basis of the investigation, but the Justice Department is investigating the possible mishandling of classified information after the National Archives and Records Administration said it had recovered 15 boxes of classified information from Mar-a-Lago. earlier this time. year. The National Archives referred the matter to the Ministry of Justice. Trump has previously argued that presidential records were turned over “in a normal and routine process.” There are many federal laws governing the handling of classified records and sensitive government documents, including statutes that make it a crime to remove such material and keep it in an unauthorized location. Two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the search was made earlier Monday and confirmed that agents were also looking into whether Trump had additional presidential records or any classified documents at the estate . Although a search warrant does not indicate that criminal charges are imminent or even expected, federal officials who want to obtain one must first prove to a judge that they have probable cause for a crime. In his first public statements since news of the investigation broke, Trump made no mention of it Monday afternoon during a televised town hall for Leora Levy, the Connecticut Republican he has supported in the Senate primary. of the US on Tuesday to choose a general election opponent. Democratic US Senator Richard Blumenthal. Trump publicly endorsed Levy late last week, calling her on Monday the best choice “to replace the Connecticut joke for senator.” But in a post on social media Monday night, he was much more guarded, calling the investigation “a weapon of Justice and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who are desperate for me to run for President in 2024.” During the 2016 presidential election, Trump tried to capitalize on an FBI investigation into his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, over whether she mishandled classified information through a private email server she used as secretary of state. Then-FBI Director James Comey concluded that Clinton had sent and received classified information, but the FBI did not recommend criminal charges because it found that Clinton did not intend to break the law. Trump criticized that decision and then stepped up his criticism of the FBI as agents began investigating whether his campaign colluded with Russia to sway the 2016 election. He fired Comey during that investigation, and although he appointed Rey months later, he frequently criticized him while still president. The investigation is hardly the only legal headache facing Trump. A separate investigation related to efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election — which led to the January 6, 2021 riot at the US Capitol — has also intensified in Washington. And a prosecutor in Fulton County, Ga., is investigating whether Trump and his close associates tried to interfere in that state’s election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden. ——– Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Meg Kinnard contributed to this report.
