Reports: FBI seized 'top secret' documents from Trump home
The notice filed by the Justice Department to the U.S. District Court South District of Florida informing the judge that lawyers for former President Donald Trump did not object to the government's motion to unseal the search warrant for Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, is photographed Friday, Aug. 12, 2022.
The warrant details that federal agents were investigating potential violations of three different federal laws, including one that governs gathering, transmitting or losing defense information under the Espionage Act. The other statutes address the concealment, mutilation or removal of records and the destruction, alteration, or falsification of records in federal investigations.
While incumbent presidents have the power to declassify information, that authority lapses as soon as they leave office and it was not clear if the documents in question have ever been declassified. Trump also kept possession of the documents despite multiple requests from agencies, including the National Archives, to turn over presidential records in accordance with federal law.U.S.
The Justice Department's request is striking because such documents traditionally remain sealed during a pending investigation. But the department appeared to recognize that its silence since the search had created a vacuum for bitter verbal attacks by Trump and his allies, and that the public was entitled to the FBI’s side about what prompted Monday’s action at the former president’s home.
FBI and Justice Department policy cautions against discussing ongoing investigations, both to protect the integrity of the inquiries and to avoid unfairly maligning someone who is being scrutinized but winds up ultimately not being charged. That’s especially true in the case of search warrants, where supporting court papers are routinely kept secret as the investigation proceeds.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
FBI investigation into former President Donald Trump | Hot off the Wire podcast🎧 Get the latest details and reactions following the FBI's search of former President Donald Trump's Florida residence.
Read more »
WSJ: FBI seized a series of 'top-secret' materials in Mar-a-Lago searchFBI agents who searched Mar-a-Lago removed 11 sets of classified information from the Trump property, including some marked as 'top secret,' the Wall Street Journal reports.
Read more »
Trump investigation live updates: FBI collected top secret docs from Mar-a-LagoBREAKING: ABC News has obtained what appears to be the search warrant executed at former Pres. Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property.
Read more »
FBI seized ‘top secret’ documents from Trump homeThe court records did not provide specific details about the documents or what information they might contain.
Read more »
FBI search at Trump Mar-a-Lago estate: One of several probes into ex-presidentThe FBI search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate marked an unprecedented escalation of the law enforcement scrutiny of the former president, but the Florida operation is just one part of one investigation related to Trump and his time in office. FOX13
Read more »
Garland asks court to unseal warrant for Mar-a-Lago searchThe Justice Department has asked a court to unseal the federal warrant the FBI used to search the Florida estate of former President Donald Trump.
Read more »