The search, according to two people familiar with the investigation, appeared to focus on material Mr. Trump brought with him to Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence, after he left the White House. . Those boxes contained several pages of classified documents, according to a person familiar with their contents. Mr. Trump delayed returning 15 boxes of material requested by officials at the National Archives for months, only to be threatened with action to retrieve them. Mr Trump has been known throughout his tenure to seize official material meant to be kept for government records. “After working and cooperating with the appropriate government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” Mr. Trump said, arguing that it was an attempt to prevent him from running for president in 2024. “A such an attack could only take place in devastated Third World countries.” “They even broke into my safe!” He wrote. “What’s the difference between this and Watergate, where agents broke into the Democratic National Committee? Here, conversely, the Democrats invaded the home of the 45th President of the United States.” Mr. Trump did not share details of what the FBI agents were looking for. But he portrayed himself as a victim of shadowy forces trying to harm him. The search took place on Monday morning, a person familiar said, although Mr Trump claimed agents were still there several hours later. The search was at least in part about whether records remained at the club, the person familiar with the investigation said. The reported investigation came as the Justice Department is also stepping up its questioning of former Trump aides who witnessed White House discussions and planning of Mr. Trump’s efforts to stay in office after his 2020 election loss. Mr Trump has been at the center of questions raised by federal prosecutors over a plan to send “fake” electors to Congress to certify the Electoral College. “These are dark times for our Nation as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raids and occupation by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said. in the statement. . “Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before,” Mr Trump said.
