The FBI has announced that Mar Arago's I searched the mansion. , people familiar with the matter said on Monday. Trump laid bare the action in a lengthy statement, claiming agents had broken into his vault in a search, providing evidence of "dark times for our country."
The investigation, which the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice did not immediately confirm, marks a dramatic escalation in law enforcement surveillance of Mr. It came amid a separate but intensified investigation into an attempt to overturn the results of the presidential election.
Trump and his allies immediately sought to launch an investigation as part of a Democratic-led effort to prevent him from winning another term in 2024. His current FBI director, Christopher Wray, was appointed by President Trump five years ago and has served as a senior official in the Republican-led Justice Department.
"After working with relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was neither necessary nor appropriate," Trump said in a statement.
He added: Nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the United States.
Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson declined to comment on the investigation, including whether Attorney General Merrick Garland personally authorized the investigation.
Although Trump did not elaborate on the basis for the search, the National Archives and Records Administration released 15 boxes of Mar-a-Lago records containing classified information earlier this year.
The National Archives referred the matter to the Department of Justice. Mr Trump has previously claimed that the president's records were turned over "through the normal and routine process".
There are multiple federal laws governing the handling of classified records and classified government documents, including laws that make it a crime to delete such material and store it in an unauthorized location. I'm here.
Two people familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the ongoing investigation, said the search took place in the early hours of Monday and investigators said Trump added The estate confirmed that it was also trying to find out if it had any presidential records or classified documents.
A search warrant does not imply that criminal charges are imminent or that indictment is expected, but federal officials seeking to obtain a search warrant should first determine if the crime was committed. You will have to prove to the judge that there is a cause that may have occurred.
In his first public statement since news of the raid surfaced, Trump represented Leora Levy, the Connecticut Republican he endorsed in Tuesday's US Senate primary. and didn't mention it at the teletown hall Monday night. Mr Trump publicly endorsed Mr Levy last week.
But in a post on his media Monday night social, he was more unguarded, describing the search as "weaponizing the justice system and desperately wanting me to run for president." "It's an attack by radical left Democrats," he said. 2024.
During the 2016 presidential election, Trump questioned Democratic rival Hillary Hillary about whether he mishandled confidential information via his server, which he used as secretary of state. Tried to capitalize on his FBI investigation into Clinton. FBI Director James Comey at the time concluded that Clinton had sent and received classified information, but the FBI did not recommend criminal charges because it determined that Clinton did not intend to break the law.
Trump lashed out at the decision and stepped up his criticism of the FBI. Investigators began investigating whether his campaign colluded with Russia to inform the 2016 election.He fired Comey during that investigation and appointed Ray a few months later. But he routinely criticized him while he was still president.
Investigations aren't the only legal headaches facing Mr. Trump. Separate investigations into efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of his 2020 presidential election that led to the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol are also heating up in Washington. increase.
And the Fulton County, Georgia district attorney is investigating whether Trump and his aides tried to interfere in the state's election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden. .
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AP writer Zeke Miller and Meg Kinnard contributed to this report.