AG Garland personally approved decision to seek Trump search warrant

Attorney General Merrick Garland announced Thursday he personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago home. The revelation came as Trump and his allies have taken aim at the Justice Department and FBI’s handling of the raid.

Garland also revealed that the Justice Department asked a federal court in Florida to unseal the search warrant and list of items taken during the raid. Garland confirmed the search warrant was approved by federal courts on the grounds of probable cause and that a copy of the search warrant was given to Trump’s legal representation.

The FBI searched Trump’s residence Monday evening. The former president was not at the Florida resort during the execution of the warrant but confirmed it almost immediately in a statement. He addressed the events in a four-minute video posted to Truth Social hours after the search, in which he signed off by declaring “the best is yet to come.” 

Garland said the Justice Department is going public with this because the former president disclosed that a warrant had been executed but not what was taken. The attorney general also cited public interest in the matter as a reason to disclose further information.

During Thursday’s briefing, which lasted less than five minutes, he condemned threats and attacks against law enforcement, FBI agents and prosecutors.

“I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked. The men and women of the FBI and Justice Department are dedicated and patriotic public servants,”  Garland said.

Garland said more information will be available in the appropriate way and at the appropriate time but did not provide further details about the basis of the search executed earlier this week.

Reporting from John Solomon of Just The News also revealed that Trump was issued a subpoena this spring for the documents agents were seeking during the raid. Earlier in the year, Trump handed over 15 boxes of materials he took from the White House when he left office that included classified information. The National Archives said the documents are the property of the federal government.