FBI Raids Mar-a-Lago Home Of Ex-President Donald Trump, Broke Safe, Takes Away Files

A team of US Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has raided the home, Mar-a-Lago of Ex-President Donald Trump in Florida, according to BBC reports.

Trump who confirm it said it was “raided” by the FBI, and that agents broke open a safe

In a statement, he said Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach was “occupied by a large group of FBI agents”

The search was reportedly connected to an investigation into Trump’s handling of official papers

The inquiry is believed to be examining whether he took classified records from the White House with him when he left office

The search comes as Trump prepares for a possible third presidential run in 2024

He is facing numerous investigations, but a search warrant of this kind targeting a former president’s home is unprecedented, experts say

Trump was in New York at the time the FBI search took place.

*Who signed the search warrant?

The BBC has spoken to former US district attorney for Idaho Wendy Olson for her take on what’s been going on.

She says for the search to have been carried out, there must be “current probable cause”.

Probable cause is a standard in US law that must be reached before an officer can conduct a search, obtain a warrant or make an arrest – relating to the probability that a reasonable person would believe a crime had been committed.

“The information can’t be stale, so there is evidence suggesting that some materials are still there at Mar-a-Lago, or at least were at the time the judge signed off on the search warrant,” Olson says.

Asked if it was politically motivated, Olson says no, adding the warrant would have been subject to a “rigorous application”, signed off and vetted by those at the “highest levels” of the Department of Justice and FBI.

This includes, she says, FBI director Chris Wray – who Trump appointed – and “straight shooter” attorney general Merrick Garland.