'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Monday, FBI agents raided Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home under an official search warrant. Sources told The Guardian that the warrant was issued amid an ongoing investigation into the former US president’s role in the improper removal of documents from the White House when he left office.
Although Trump reportedly turned in 15 boxes of classified and unclassified documents a few months ago, federal authorities believe that there are still several White House records present at his Florida home.
TMZ reported that the FBI had to get an approval from the attorney general to execute the search warrant and then submit hard proof to a federal judge showing that there is “probable cause” to believe that the former president violated federal law.
Inside sources revealed that the Justice Department was allegedly examining the possibility of opening a criminal investigation into Trump’s alleged removal of documents from the White House in April.
Meanwhile, the White House said it had no prior information about the FBI raid. The Department of Justice also reportedly refused to comment on the investigation.
Reports suggest that the course of action took place for the first time in the history of America. News of the Mar-a-Lago raid came to light amid another scandal that suggested Donald Trump allegedly attempted to flush presidential documents in a White House toilet.
A look into Donald Trump’s flushed documents controversy
Prior to the FBI raid at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home, Axios published a series of images obtained by New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman that showed the former president allegedly trying to flush down some important documents and handwritten notes in a White House toilet.
Haberman’s claims were initially revealed in an excerpt from her upcoming book Confidence Man. The passage published by Axios reads:
“White House staff periodically discovered wads of printed paper clogging a toilet — and believed the president had flushed pieces of paper.”
At the time, Trump dubbed the claims as “fake story” and said that the allegations were,
“categorically untrue and made up by a reporter in order to get publicity for a mostly fictitious book.”
Following further research, Axios published two photos containing flushed notes. One of the photos showed a note inside a White House toilet and another revealed a note with Trump's handwriting inside a toilet in a location from one of his overseas trips.
Although the content of the note was unclear, the report claimed that it mentioned the name of US GOP Representative Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. The report further stated:
“The document dumps happened multiple times at the White House, and on at least two foreign trips.”
Haberman also told Axios that Donald Trump allegedly harbored the habit of discarding documents and his behavior was well-known by some aides as well:
“That Mr. Trump was discarding documents this way was not widely known within the West Wing, but some aides were aware of the habit, which he engaged in repeatedly. It was an extension of Trump's term-long habit of ripping up documents that were supposed to be preserved under the Presidential Records Act.”
Haberman also spoke to CNN about her discovery and said her coverage was both "gross and important."
“The point is about the destruction of records which are supposed to be preserved under the Presidential Records Act, which is a Watergate-era creation. It's important because who knows what this paper was? Only he would know and presumably whoever was dealing with him, but the important point is about the records.”
In light of the claims, Donald Trump’s spokesperson, Taylor Budowich, said that one has be “pretty desperate” to sell their work if photos of flushed paperwork are part of their “promotional plan”:
“There’s enough people willing to fabricate stories like this in order to impress the media class — a media class who is willing to run with anything, as long as it anti-Trump.”
In addition to the latest claims, the National Archives also previously reported that they had to tape back some of Donald Trump’s White House documents as they were “destroyed.”
Authorities also backed the claim that at least 15 boxes worth of documents and records were unlawfully transported to the Mar-a-Lago home from the White House.
Donald Trump responds to FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago resort
As the FBI raided Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort on Monday, the former president issued a statement denouncing the move. He also claimed that FBI agents also broke into his safe while executing the warrant:
“My beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents... They even broke into my safe!”
He mentioned that he was the first US president to face such an action and said that the “unannounced raid” at his home was “not necessary or appropriate.” Trump also dubbed the investigation a “prosecutorial misconduct,” “weaponization of justice system,” and an attack by “Radical Left Democrats.”
Trump also claimed that the investigation was planned by people who did not want to see him as president again in 2024 and compared the raid with the “Watergate” scandal. He said that he has been facing “political prosecution” for several years by individuals who are trying to “stop me and the Republican party.”
Donald Trump was not present at his Mar-a-Lago home during the surprise raid and was spending time at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. The FBI agents already left his property by the time the former president issued his statement.
At the time of his presidency, the Mar-a-Lago resort was dubbed as Donald Trump’s “winter White House”. As he left office in Washington, Trump and Melania returned to their Florida home and made it a key venue for the former’s political dealings.
