FBI raids Trump's Florida home as part of presidential records probe

Federal investigators raided the Florida residence of Donald Trump on Monday as part of an investigation into whether he took classified documents from the White House when he left office, an explosive development that risks hanging over his possible run for the presidency in 2024.

Trump, who was in New York City at the time of the raid, said in a statement that Federal Bureau of Investigation agents were searching Mar-a-Lago. The Justice Department declined to comment on Trump’s statement, but a person familiar with the search said it was related to the potential mishandling of the records. The raid began in the morning and lasted until after 6 pm, the person said. 

“My beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said in a statement Monday. He did not indicate what they were seeking. “They even broke into my safe!”

The location of the safe at Mar-a-Lago was a tightly held secret, according to several people familiar with the matter, who said that some of Trump’s closest aides were unaware of its existence.

Monday’s raid is related to a request from the National Archives and Records Administration to the Justice Department to look into the transfer of presidential documents to Mar-a-Lago, including classified materials. The Archives in January retrieved 15 boxes of records from Mar-a-Lago. Trump turned those documents over only after facing possible legal action over their removal.

Trump is being represented by Evan Corcoran and John Rowley in talks with federal prosecutors, according to a person familiar with the situation. Neither responded to messages seeking comment. The search is a stunning development in the ongoing legal battles involving the former president as he teases another White House bid in 2024 and plays kingmaker in Republican primaries for November’s midterm elections. It also comes as the Jan. 6 committee, and federal investigators, probe the actions of Trump’s inner circle related to the fatal riot at the Capitol.

Throughout his presidency, Trump kept various papers — including news clippings, mementos, and, on occasion, classified documents — stored in separate piles. Some of those papers were among items boxed up and taken to Mar-a-Lago when he left office. 

Trump wasn’t given a briefing on what to take and what not to, according to two people familiar with the matter. He likely didn’t see everything that was taken — the valets and residence staff did most of the packing. Trump would have been furious if anyone had sorted through the boxes to remove anything, aides said.

Trump seized on the raid to cast himself as a political victim, saying he was being targeted to derail his potential candidacy through “the weaponisation of the Justice Syst­em.” Trump complained that he was being mistreated by “Democ­rats who desperately don’t want me to run for president in 2024.”