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Former President Trump said Monday that his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida is “besieged” by a “large group” of FBI agents who are carrying out a search warrant.
“Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before. After working and cooperating with the appropriate government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was neither necessary nor appropriate,” Trump said. “It’s prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the justice system, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for president in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will anything to stop the Republicans and Conservatives in the next midterm elections.”
“This assault could only take place in broken Third World countries. Sadly, America has become one of those countries, corrupt on a level never seen before,” Trump said, alleging that U.S. officials FBI broke into his safe.
“What’s the difference between this and Watergate, where agents broke into the Democratic National Committee?” he said “Here, in reverse, the Democrats broke into the home of the 45th president of the United States.”
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A familiar source told Fox News that the attack happened early this morning. The source said agents took a “safe cookie” and broke into a “relatively new” safe at Mar-a-Lago. The source told Fox News that “there was nothing.”
FILE: President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is shown on July 10, 2019 in Palm Beach, Florida.
(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
Multiple sources tell Fox News that the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago is related to materials Trump allegedly took to his private residence after his presidency concluded. That matter was referred to the Department of Justice by the National Archives and Records Administration, which said it found classified material in 15 boxes at the residence.
Federal law prohibits the removal of classified documents to unauthorized sites, although Trump may try to argue that, as president, he was the ultimate declassification authority.
A source familiar with the matter told Fox News that FBI agents went to Mar-a-Lago and looked into every office, safe, and took documents and boxes without going on the property. They took boxes and documents to pass them later.
“They weren’t being judicious about what they took,” the source told Fox News.
FILE: Then-President Donald Trump listens during a Christmas Eve video conference call with members of the military at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 24, 2019.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, one of many to criticize the raid, called it “unprecedented political weaponization by the Justice Department.”
“They’ve been after President Trump as a candidate, as president, and now as ex-president,” Noem tweeted. “Using the criminal justice system in this way is un-American.”
Trump was in New York City when the raid took place and is now heading to Bedminster, Fox News has learned. An FBI source confirmed that Washington, DC FBI agents who are part of the bureau’s evidence response team conducted the raid and notified the bureau of Miami field just before.
In accordance with standard protocol, FBI Director Wray and Attorney General Garland were aware of the attack albeit shortly before and would have been fully briefed.
A White House official told Fox News he had no notice of the reported action and referred all additional questions to the DOJ.
A separate investigation into efforts by Trump allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol has intensified in Washington in recent weeks, particularly with the Congress of January 6 that held hearings to reveal its findings.
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According to sources familiar with the matter, the FBI raid is related to the alleged taking of potentially classified information while leaving Washington in January 2021, not the January 6 investigation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
