What you need to know about the FBI’s raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home

What you need to know about the FBI’s raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home
Source: The Mar-a-Lago Club

Over the past few months, Former US President Donald Trump has been the focus of an investigation by a select congressional committee into the January 6 riot on the US Capitol. As the 2024 US presidential election nears, Trump has also hinted at running for office again. But, with his possible involvement in criminal acts during and after his administration, he may be unable to.

Monday night, Trump announced that the FBI raided his Florida Mar-a-Lago home, comparing it to Watergate “in reverse" and saying they broke into his safe. Reportedly, the raid has to do with the former president allegedly mishandling national records, including some which may be classified. He’s also facing ongoing accusations of conspiring to defraud the country, wire fraud, tampering with Georgia’s 2020 election, New York financial fraud, inflating real estate values and defamation. However, the committee is not able to charge Trump with any crimes; they can only make a recommendation to the Justice Department, led by Attorney General Merrick Garland, to bring charges against him. So, with all of this going on, it’s difficult to figure out the primary focus of the FBI investigation.

After Trump’s announcement, he immediately received backing from some of his loudest supporters. But some of his former allies aren’t so supportive, including Senator Lindsey Graham. White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that President Biden was not given advance notice by the FBI of the raid, and that he “learned about this from public reports."

Key comments:

“After working and cooperating with the relevant government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate," Trump said in a statement.

“I share the deep concern of millions of Americans over the unprecedented search of the personal residence of President Trump. No former President of the United States has ever been subject to a raid of their personal residence in American history," Former Vice President Mike Pence tweeted. He added, “Attorney General Garland must give a full accounting to the American people as to why this action was taken and he must do so immediately."

“We’re a nation of laws. Nobody’s above the law. That’s for darn sure," Senator Lindsey Graham said in a radio interview.

“This is not some banana republic where the government just breaks down the door and barges in," said former US Senator Doug Jones in an interview with the BBC. “This is a process that is set up in the constitution of the United States, and it appears to be followed to the letter here."