Former US President Donald Trump has confirmed that FBI agents searched his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, marking a significant escalation in legal investigations into his handling of classified material. In a statement on Monday evening, Trump said a 'large group' of agents had broken open a safe during the operation.
The search is believed to be linked to an inquiry into whether Trump removed classified records from the White House and took them to his Florida estate after leaving office. The National Archives had previously retrieved 15 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago, some marked as classified, prompting a referral to the Justice Department.
A law enforcement source told CBS News that the Secret Service was notified shortly before the warrant was served around 10:00 local time. Agents protecting Trump assisted the FBI, and several boxes were taken away. The source added that no doors were forced open and the search concluded by late afternoon.
Trump, who was in New York at the time, condemned the search as an 'unannounced raid' and claimed it was unnecessary given his cooperation with authorities. He compared the US to 'Third-World countries' and alleged corruption. The FBI and Justice Department have not commented, but legal experts note that a federal search warrant requires judicial approval based on probable cause of a crime.
The search has galvanised Trump's supporters, with protests outside Mar-a-Lago and Trump Tower. Many Republican lawmakers expressed outrage, with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy accusing the Justice Department of 'weaponised politicisation'. The White House said it received no advance notice of the search and is limiting contact with the Justice Department to avoid any appearance of political interference.
