On Monday, August 8, 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant on former president Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort. The warrant was issued in support of an investigation related to the handling of presidential documents. It is believed that classified documents may have been brought to the president’s private residence.
“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. “They even broke into my safe!”
“The search began early Monday morning and law enforcement personnel appeared to be focused on the area of the club where Trump’s offices and personal quarters are, according to a person familiar with the matter,” CNN reported. “The FBI’s search included examining where documents were kept, according to another person familiar with the investigation, and boxes of items were taken.”
Raid on Mar-A-Lago
Speaking with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Eric Trump said that “the purpose of the raid, from what they said, was because the National Archives wanted to, you know, corroborate whether or not Donald Trump had any documents in his possession.”
According to Trump’s attorney, Christina Bobb, the FBI did seize documents. “President Trump and his legal team have been cooperative with FBI and DOJ officials every step of the way. The FBI did conduct an unannounced raid and seized paper,” Bobb said.
News of the raid angered Trump’s ardent fanbase. “By Monday night, a couple dozen supporters of former President Donald J. Trump had gathered across the street from his private residence in Palm Beach, Fla., some holding Trump-Pence flags from their 2020 campaign, others wearing red Make America Great Again caps,” The New York Times reported. “But all were united in their anger over the news that federal authorities had conducted a search of Mar-a-Lago.”
“One vehicle was blasting, ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It,’ the ‘80s rock ‘n roll anthem by Twisted Sister.”
Reaction to the Raid
The Wall Street Journal was critical of the GOP’s impulsive reaction to the raid, arguing that “reflexively shouting ‘witch hunt’ and baselessly blaming President Biden for the raid” “bodes very poorly for whatever comes next in the process,” the WSJ reported. “Trump has marshaled his army of supporters to declare, in knee-jerk fashion, any legal scrutiny of him a deep-state operation.”
Cleverly, the WSJ points out that Trump’s corps of supporters was once especially concerned with document security “by would-be presidential candidates,” in reference to the right-wing focus on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 email scandal. MAGA’s proposed solution to Hillary’s email misjudgements were of course to “lock her up.”
Trump issued a statement that harkened his “American Carnage” speech. “These are dark times for our Nation … Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before … this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate. It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024 … such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.”
Trump’s allies circled the wagons, tweeting their support.
The House Judiciary GOP’s official Twitter account tweeted that “this is what happens in third world countries. Not the United States. Doesn’t the FBI have better things to do than harass the former PRESIDENT?” Later the account added, “If they can do it to a former President, imagine what they can do to you.”
House Minority leader Kevin McCarthy tweeted “I’ve seen enough. The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization. When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned. Attorney General Garland, preserve your documents and clear your calendar.”
Representative Marjorie Taylor Green took one out from the left’s playbook, tweeting “DEFUND THE FBI!” Taylor Green tweeted again, to clarify: “I stand with President Trump!”
Mike Pompeo tweeted that “Executing a warrant against ex-POTUS is dangerous. The apparent political weaponization of DOJ/FBI is shameful. AG must explain why 250 yrs of practice was upended w/ this raid. I served on Benghazi Com where we proved Hillary possessed classified info. We didn’t raid her home.”
U.S. House candidate Lauren Boebert harkened Nazi Germany: “If you’re a Republican with any kind of voice, and not speaking up for President Trump tonight don’t expect any of us to speak up for you when your time comes. You may not realize it yet, but they’re coming for all of us.”
Senator Lindsey Graham, a notable Trump sycophant, tweeted that “launching an investigation of a former President this close to an election is beyond problematic. We’re 100 days away from midterm elections. President Trump is likely going to run again in 2024. No one is above the law. The law must be above politics.”
Stay tuned as the investigation unfolds – and keep an eye out for a Trump 2024 campaign announcement.
Harrison Kass is the Senior Editor at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. He lives in Oregon and listens to Dokken. Follow him on Twitter @harrison_kass.
