(CNN)The FBI’s search of Donald Trump’s Florida resort is an extraordinary, historic development since it targeted the former US President and set off a political frenzy that he could use to bid likely to stop the 2024 White House.
In the past, Trump’s threatened political investigations have only increased his superpower appeal to supporters. But federal agents acted Monday on a warrant approved by a judge, suggesting they had probable cause to believe a crime had been committed. They targeted Trump’s offices and personal quarters at his Mar-a-Lago winter residence while the former President was away in New York.
Monday’s search related to the possible mishandling of presidential documents, some of which may be classified, that may have been brought to Trump’s home – the subject of one of two investigations by the department Law and Justice related to the former President.
The news was one of the most dramatic twists yet in the story of the twice-impeached Trump, who has incited a mass riot to try to overturn his 2020 election loss and tear down the guardrails of his office and democracy. always during his single term, and after, like any other President.
He has threatened to inject new toxins into the political life of a nation that is hopelessly divided — with millions of Trump supporters already believing his lies that the 2020 election was stolen — and lacking a shared understanding of the truth on many issues no more. .
It also comes with the former President itching to launch a 2024 campaign rooted in his false claims of electoral fraud, suggesting his authoritarian rhetoric would profoundly challenge democracy. The looming campaign is likely to add political rocket fuel to the perception among Trump supporters – which he himself proved in his statement announcing the search on Monday – that he is being unfairly persecuted.
Trump seizes the quest to alienate supporters
Trump seizes on the search to fire up supporters
Trump was quick to turn the operation political, claiming his “beautiful home” was “besieged, raided and occupied” while complaining that he was the victim of “weaponizing the Justice system” by the Democrats. trying to stop it. for becoming president after the 2024 election. To see also : Biden walks on a political and diplomatic rope in Saudi Arabia. His statement used the same explosive language and sense of grievance that inspired some of his supporters to violence in Washington on January 6, 2021.
“Such an attack could only happen in broken Third World Countries. Sadly, America is now one of those Countries, corrupted at a level never seen before. They even broke into my safe!” Trump said. He did not state that the search was conducted on the basis of a warrant authorized by law.
Early Tuesday morning, Trump shared a new campaign-style video on his Truth Social site declaring “the best is yet to come” and was also raising money from the search.
In some ways, his response was, in itself, like the initial opening of a new presidential campaign based on a story of persecution by deep-state forces, familiar with the approach of other strong leaders around the world.
The FBI and the Justice Department declined to comment on the search. President Joe Biden was not aware of the Mar-a-Lago search until it was reported on the news, according to a senior administration official.
Not knowing if Trump had broken any law, many Republicans seized on Trump’s leadership, reacting furiously, demanding the Justice Department explain itself and claiming the former President was a victim. of political vendetta. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, who hopes to be Trump’s patronage speaker, has promised to immediately investigate Attorney General Merrick Garland if Republicans win the House of Representatives in November’s midterm elections.
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is facing voters this fall, tweeted: “Using government power to persecute political opponents is something we have seen many times from the Marxist dictatorship of the 3rd world But never in America.” Florida Senator Rick Scott, who chairs the Senate GOP campaign arm, wrote on Twitter: “We need answers NOW. The FBI needs to explain what they did today and why.”
The immediate reactions that supported the former President were also an early sign, more evidence of his enduring power within the Republican Party, how this investigation will come under great political pressure. Those responses could also indicate that the former President’s potential 2024 campaign could benefit from the rallying effect of a government investigation that he can portray as political and unfair — leaving potential GOP challengers with little choice. but also gathering around.
But the magnitude of Monday’s events should not be underestimated, even if the question of whether the former President was in real danger of being accused of a crime — which would have been a great historic step — was not immediately clear Monday night. . The exact parameters of the search warrant were also not available. Presidents have the ability to declassify sensitive information, and it was unclear whether Trump could take such steps in the matter at hand. Past Presidents, however, have no such powers. CNN reported that the FBI seized boxes of items after the search on Monday. And Trump’s attorney, Christina Bobb, said the bureau seized “paper” after what she said was an “unannounced raid.”
A most sensitive decision
It would be extremely sensitive to take such action against any major political figure. Given Trump’s status as a former commander-in-chief, it is extremely serious. On the same subject : US women defeat Mexico after Kristie Mewis scored late. And given the former President’s history of inciting anger and violence, this is about as sensitive a move as possible.
It’s clear that the highest levels of the Justice Department and the FBI would be pleased with the decision to search Trump’s premises — knowing full well the explosive political quotes that were sure to be released.
“I can’t overemphasize … how big this would be within the Department of Justice and the FBI,” former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said on CNN this afternoon. Monday.
“This is something that would be planned out and re-evaluated and examined legally from every possible angle according to the entire leadership structure of both organizations,” said McCabe, a law enforcement analyst for CNN.
Given the political implications, there is no room for error for the Justice Department or the FBI, whose director, Christopher Wray, is a Trump appointee. It was never in doubt that Trump would respond to the search by burning political touch paper. His false claims that the 2020 election had already been stolen helped incite rebellion.
Therefore, the stakes for the investigators and for the political future of the country are huge. Those implications would only become more important if it later transpired that the book did not prompt the FBI’s search or was not critical to the nation’s national security. The political sensitivities are so acute that it’s easy to see how failing to prosecute Trump after such a public step would raise questions about whether the search was justified. That said, in order to obtain a warrant to search Trump’s property, FBI officials would have to prove to the judge that there was probable cause to believe that a federal crime had been committed and that such evidence could be found at the resort.
Trump is facing multiple investigations
Trump faces multiple investigations
The Department of Justice is aware of two active investigations related to Trump, one into the attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election and the events surrounding it on January 6, 2021, and the other into the handling of classified documents . On the same subject : Democrats Blame Hulu For Rejecting Campaign Ads While Disney Criticized For Avoiding Politics — Again.
This search appears to be linked to the final investigation. The National Archives, which is responsible for collecting and sorting presidential records, has previously said that at least 15 boxes of White House documents were recovered from Mar-a-Lago, including some that were classified. Members of Trump’s former White House staff have often said he was careless or contemptuous of the legal requirement to archive all presidential and cavalier documents with classified information. Earlier on Monday, newly revealed photos, which are being published by New York Times reporter and CNN contributor Maggie Haberman in her upcoming book, showed documents in what appeared to be Trump’s handwriting that he allegedly tried to flush down the toilet.
The news of the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago comes after CNN reported last week that the former president’s lawyers were in talks with the Department of Justice regarding its investigation into the Washington events surrounding the uprising. Capitol. Trump may also face some legal jeopardy in a separate prosecution in Georgia regarding efforts by the former President and his aides to overturn Biden’s election victory in the crisis-ridden state.
Monday’s search in Mar-a-Lago also comes in the context of a House select committee investigation into the Capitol uprising, which has revealed damning new evidence about Trump’s attempts to steal the 2020 election and his failure to try to stop the violent attack on the Castle. Capitol was held once. The committee has not yet said whether the Department of Justice will recommend criminal action against the former President.
While Democrats may take comfort in the sense that legal problems are piling up for the former President and serious criminal investigations are getting closer to the GOP presidential pick, they may want to remember the history of the efforts to call to account.
The then-President managed to clear Robert Mueller’s investigation, although the special prosecutor noted many strange connections between his 2016 campaign and Russia and compiled a list of occasions when he considered enough outside observers that he tried to obstruct justice.
Both of Trump’s impeachments in the US House — for trying to coerce Ukraine into investigating Biden before the 2020 election and over the rebellion — did not result in convictions in the Senate trials. nor any efforts to ban him from future federal office. His extraordinary support among grassroots Republicans makes it impossible for politicians who want a political future to oppose him. And it doesn’t look like anything but a clear criminal case against the former President could turn his supporters against him – and that might not change their opinion of him if he responds with the right rhetoric .
That’s even more true after FBI agents crossed the Rubicon on Monday entering Trump’s pride and joy home in a move that will have huge political implications, but the investigation ultimately takes place.
Kaitlan Collins, Katelyn Polantz, Zachary Cohen, Evan Perez, Sara Murray, Kevin Liptak, Dan Berman, Whitney Wild and Gabby Orr contributed to this report.
