[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who is under investigation by federal prosecutors for unauthorized removal of White House classified documents, announced on the 8th (local time) that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) raided and is conducting a search and seizure at his Mar-a-Lago resort residence in Palm Beach, Florida. As Trump dreams of running again in the 2024 presidential election, the investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot has extended its reach to his residence.
According to the Washington Post (WP) and others, Trump stated in a released statement that "My beautiful home Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently being raided and occupied by FBI agents," adding, "(This search) was conducted without any prior notice, and they even broke into my safe." He described this as "an illegal act by prosecutors weaponizing the judicial system and an attack by radical Democrats who, seeing recent poll results, want to prevent me from running in the 2024 presidential election," and warned, "They will take similar actions to block the Republican and conservative parties in the upcoming midterm elections."
He further said, "The establishment is trying to stop me and the Republican Party as they see the candidates I support winning big and me leading in all polls," and emphasized, "The unlawful political persecution and witch hunt must stop."
The White House and the U.S. Department of Justice declined to comment on the search and seizure conducted that day.
On the 8th (local time), secret agents armed with firearms are standing guard, looking around at one of the entrances to the residence of former U.S. President Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida. [Image source=AP Yonhap News]
A search and seizure by investigative authorities on a former president is considered highly unusual in U.S. politics. WP reported this news, stating, "A court-ordered search warrant for Trump’s property to find evidence of a crime is very rare for a former president." The New York Times (NYT) reported that Trump was at his residence in Trump Tower, New York, not in Florida, at the time of the search.
Trump’s home search is reportedly linked to his bringing classified documents to his resort when he left the White House. The U.S. House Select Committee investigating the January 6 riot confirmed that some of Trump’s records were damaged and some were taken to the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida during their investigation.
Among the removed materials were documents marked as "Top Secret." The NYT, citing multiple sources, reported, "Fifteen boxes of records related to former President Trump were sent to Mar-a-Lago instead of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)," and "NARA requested the return of the materials, but Trump delayed this for months."
Attention is also focused on how the results of this investigation will affect the 2024 U.S. presidential election. Trump, who has been embroiled in various scandals and complexities since the unprecedented January 6 Capitol breach, currently faces political crises including criminal charges. After leaving office in January last year, he resumed political activities ahead of the November midterm elections and has been vocal, still claiming the last election in which President Biden was elected was "fraudulent." Trump is considering running in the 2024 presidential election. However, his support within the Republican Party has weakened recently amid growing calls for accountability over the January 6 riot.
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