The Trump legal storm is not abating. While the former president and his supporters protested against an in-depth search of his residence in Florida, demanding an explanation, they were served: documents seized were “probably hidden” there to obstruct the investigation against Donald Trump, says a Justice Department document on Tuesday. This procedural document explains in the most detailed way to date the reasons which led the FBI to search the residence of the former president on August 8 to recover extremely confidential documents that he had not returned. after leaving the White House, despite multiple requests.
Prior to the operation, the FBI uncovered “multiple sources of evidence” showing that “classified documents” were still in Donald Trump’s sprawling Mar-a-Lago residence, the document says. “The government also had evidence that government documents were likely withheld and removed…and that actions were likely taken to obstruct its investigation,” it added.
“These documents do not belong” to Donald Trump
The Justice Department says it explained the process that led to the raid, in order to “correct the incomplete and inaccurate account presented in the statements” of the former president. The department’s statement responds to a request made last week by Donald Trump, who feels he is being persecuted by the government, to have an independent third party review documents seized from his home by the FBI.
But naming this third party could block investigators’ access to documents, and justice should not do so “because these documents (seized) do not belong” to Donald Trump, underlines the note from the Ministry of Justice. Such an appointment “is not necessary and would seriously harm government interests, including in terms of national security”, it is underlined.
The “Witch Hunt”
According to the Justice Department, some of the documents seized on August 8 bore the sign “HCS,” which in US intelligence community parlance refers to information provided by “human sources,” informants and other undercover agents. Investigators suspect the Republican of having violated an American law on espionage which very strictly regulates the possession of confidential documents. Donald Trump assures him that these documents have been declassified.
The Republican, who flirts with the idea of a candidacy for the presidential election of 2024, denounces a “witch hunt” led against him by the administration of his successor Joe Biden, and believes that justice would not have “ never had to authorize this break-in” to his home.