Trump acknowledges raid, which is part of an Obama document deletion inquiry

Hoards of irate Donald Trump fans converged to his Mar-a-Lago property Friday night after learning the FBI was inspecting his estate in a probe into whether he moved secret materials from the White House to Florida.

Trump labelled the search as a ‘unannounced raid’ that he compared to ‘prosecutorial malfeasance’ in a long statement.

Supporters of former President Donald Trump were spotted outside his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday to back the ex-Commander in Chief after it was announced it had been raided by the FBI

The raid on Trump’s house is an unusual escalation of law enforcement surveillance.

Many of his followers were angry by the raid, and a rowdy throng wore Trump-themed apparel to demonstrate their support.

Trump fans waved pro-Trump placards, including one for his 2024 campaign with Mike Pence’s name crossed out. One was a Proud Boy.

The raid on Trump’s residence escalates a months-long investigation into how secret information wound up at Mar-a-Lago.

A second grand jury investigation investigating attempts to change the 2020 election results adds to Trump’s legal jeopardy as he prepares for another run.

Monday night, familiar battle lines emerged after four years of FBI and congressional probes.

Trump and his allies sought to cast the search as a weaponization of the criminal justice system and a Democratic-driven effort to keep him from winning another term in 2024.

The Biden White House said it had no prior knowledge of it, and the current FBI director, Christopher Wray, was appointed by Trump five years ago and served in a Republican-led Justice Department.

Trump confirmed the raid - reportedly as part of an investigation into whether the former president took classified documents with him when he left the White House - on Monday evening

Trump said, ‘These are sad days for our Nation, as my magnificent property, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is under siege, invaded, and seized by a big contingent of FBI investigators.’ “This has never occurred to a U.S. president before.”

Trump added, “After dealing with government agencies, this unexpected raid on my house was neither necessary or proper.”

After the news, Trump fans converged to Bush’s residence.

Many waved pro-Trump banners, including one for his 2024 campaign with Mike Pence’s name crossed out. One was a Proud Boy.

Signs read “Make Votes Count Again,” “Keep America Great,” and “In Trump I Trust.”

One person wore a t-shirt with the president’s face that said ‘Not my Dictator’

One held a banner outside the mansion reading ‘Fake News is CNN’ At least one anti-Trump demonstrator was observed wearing ‘punk’ and ‘p***y’ placards.

Dena Iverson, a Justice Department spokesman, refused to comment on the search or if Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered it.

Signs had slogans like: 'Make Votes Count Again' or 'Keep America Great' and 'In Trump I Trust'

The Justice Department is examining the possible misuse of sensitive material after the National Archives and Papers Administration acquired 15 boxes of classified records from Mar-a-Lago earlier this year.

The National Archives claimed Trump should have given over the documents before leaving office and requested the Justice Department to investigate.

Multiple federal regulations control the handling of classified records and sensitive government papers, including legislation that make it illegal to remove such information and store it in an unauthorised place.

Federal investigators seeking a search warrant must first show a court they have reasonable evidence a crime happened.

Two sources familiar with the incident, who spoke anonymously to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the search was connected to the records inquiry.

Agents also checked Trump’s estate for presidential records or secret materials.

Trump has said presidential documents were released ‘routinely’

Eric Trump, who was also in Trump Tower on Monday, claimed he alerted his father about the raid.

‘I received the call this morning, phoned my father, and was involved all day,’ he told Fox News anchor Sean Hannity. Welcome to 2020s politics!

‘To have 30 FBI agents – really more – come on Mar-a-Lago with no warning, walk through the gates, and start ransacking an office, closet, and safe.

It was empty.

A reporter is heckled by anti-media and pro-Trump protesters across the waterfront from Mar-A-Lago

Please.

Eric Trump claimed the papers were carried to Mar-a-Lago during’six hours’ on Inauguration Day as the Bidens prepared to move in.

Eric Trump: “My father saved newspaper clippings.” He left the White House with boxes.

He blamed President Joe Biden’s White House.

This isn’t from the Palm Beach FBI office. Who made this? This originated at Washington, D.C.’s White House. Eric Trump: They want to target Biden’s biggest danger.

Biden’s White House was clueless. New York Times: White House officials learned about it on Twitter.

Lara Trump told Fox News,’my father-in-law, as anybody who’s been around him knows, likes to keep newspaper clippings, magazine clippings, photos, and White House papers.’

She termed the raid an effort to damage him since her father-in-law may run for president in 2024.

At least one anti-Trump protester was spotted on the grounds with signs calling Trump names like 'punk' and 'p***y'

Trump exited from Trump Tower in New York City before 8 p.m. and waved to spectators.

Trump made no mention of the search during a tele-town hall on behalf of Leora Levy, the Connecticut Republican he has backed in Tuesday’s U.S. Senate primary to choose a general election opponent against Democratic U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal.

Trump backed Levy last week, declaring her the finest choice ‘to replace Connecticut’s joke of a senator’

In a social media post Monday night, he was considerably more unrestrained, calling the search a ‘weaponization of the Justice System and an assault by Radical Left Democrats’

Other Republicans agreed. Ronna McDaniel, chair of the GOP National Committee, called the search ‘outrageous’ and urged people to turn out in November.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a prospective 2024 presidential contender, called it ‘an escalation in the weaponization’ of U.S. agencies.

Kevin McCarthy, the House Minority Leader, tweeted that the Justice Department ‘has reached an untenable level of weaponized partisanship’ If Republicans take control of the House, they will investigate.

Trump’s involvement in a probe into the handling of sensitive material is notable considering how he used an FBI investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private email server during the 2016 presidential race.

Some also held invectives against Joe Biden, with one wearing a t-shirt of the president's face saying 'Not my Dictator'

The FBI decided that Clinton provided and received secret material, but it did not recommend criminal charges because Clinton did not intend to breach the law.

Trump criticised the decision and then the FBI as agents investigated whether his campaign colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election.

He dismissed Comey during the inquiry and blasted Wray as president months later.

Vanderbilt University history professor Thomas Schwartz said there is no precedence for a former president facing an FBI raid, even dating back to Watergate.

Nixon wasn’t allowed to take tapes or other materials from the White House when he resigned in 1974, Schwartz said.

Many of his papers remained in Washington for years before being moved to his presidential library in California.

Schwartz, author of ‘Henry Kissinger and American Power: A Political Biography,’ said this shows how unique the Trump era was. His unusual behaviour

The investigation isn’t Trump’s only legal problem. A second inquiry into Trump and his associates’ attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, which culminated to the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot, is also underway in Washington. Several ex-White House officials were subpoenaed.

Trump took 15 boxes of material with him in January 2021 after he left Washington D.C. The boxes were returned to the National Archives a year later in January 2022 but agents on Monday were looking to see if Trump had additional material; above workers move boxes out of the Trump White House on January 14, 2021

Fulton County, Georgia’s district attorney is investigating whether Trump and his associates interfered in Joe Biden’s election.

The raid comes as Donald Trump considers another presidential run and his activities after the 2020 election, when he sought to nullify Joe Biden’s win, are under scrutiny.

It took many hours Monday morning. It’s rare for the feds to raid a former president’s home.

‘These are sad times for our nation as my house, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is under siege by FBI investigators. Trump made the astonishing claim in a statement posted Monday night.

This surprise raid on my residence was neither necessary or acceptable after engaging with government officials.

Trump termed the raid prosecutorial malpractice, the weaponization of the justice system, and an assault by radical left Democrats who don’t want him to run for president in 2024 and would do whatever to block Republicans and conservatives in the midterm elections.

The Justice Department wouldn’t say if Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered the search, but it’s doubtful a raid on a former president would happen without his agreement.

NBC News stated that FBI agents at Mar-a-Lago were given early warning and granted access. Agents didn’t investigate or search.

Workers move boxes from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building into a truck on the White House grounds, before the departure of President Donald Trump on January 14, 2021

The FBI didn’t have to break in or tear down any doors.

A court-issued search warrant does not imply criminal charges are imminent or anticipated.

Garland and his DoJ are under political pressure from Democrats who want Bush charged and Republicans who would call any inquiry election-year politics.

McCarthy threatened Garland with retribution. If Republicans win the House in November, as predicted, he’ll probe the raid.

‘Preserve your paperwork and clear your schedule,’ he advised Monday night.

Trump said he was victimised by mysterious government agents. Trump appointed FBI Director Christopher Wray.

Trump said Monday that’such an attack could only happen in Third-World countries.

Unfortunately, America has become one of these corrupt countries.’

“They cracked my safe!” What’s different from Watergate, when operatives broke into the DNC? In reverse, Democrats broke into Obama’s residence, he alleged.

When the raid happened, Trump wasn’t at Mar-a-Lago. Monday found the former president in NYC. After announcing the raid, he exited Trump Tower with a thumbs-up.

He spends August in Bedminister, N.J. Sunday photos show him posing with a newly engaged couple.

The raid was connected to a DoJ probe into sensitive materials transported to Mar-a-Lago.

National Archives and Records Administration urged DoJ in February to investigate if Obama broke the law.

Classified material is governed by numerous laws, including one that makes it a felony to remove and store documents in an unauthorised place.

Mid-January, National Archives employees collected 15 cartons of White House records from Mar-a-Lago.

Trump had to return ‘beautiful letters’ from North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a handwritten note from former President Obama.

Republicans criticised the raid immediately.

‘We’ve seen 3rd world Marxist dictatorships prosecute political opponents, but never in America,’ tweeted Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio.

Trump supporters gathered in front of Mar-a-Lago on Monday night

Trump stated at the time that the boxes were transferred ‘openly and freely’

Following collaborative and polite negotiations, the National Archives and Documents Administration negotiated with President Trump to move boxes containing letters, records, newspapers, magazines, and other publications.

Some of this material will be presented in the Donald J. Trump Presidential Library so the public may see his administration’s achievements for the American people.

The House Oversight and Reform Committee is investigating whether Trump inappropriately removed or destroyed White House papers.

‘Removing or concealing government records is a criminal offence,’ Congress wrote to NARA Archivist David Ferriero.

Trump was also known to rip up paper, which violates the Presidential Records Act.

The Presidential Records Act requires the White House to save all memos, letters, emails, and papers the president touches.

Some advisers nicknamed Trump’s propensity of tearing up documents his unofficial ‘filing system.’

Eisenhower Executive Office Building personnel rewound the recordings.

Fragments of paper from the Oval Office and the White House’s private quarters were reassembled using scotch tape and transferred to the National Archives for filing.

Former president reported flushed records.

Maggie Haberman, a New York Times White House reporter, said Trump will break records in her next book.

She alleged Monday that a former White House staffer sent her photos of presidential notes shoved into toilets.

The photographs provided by Axios on Monday supposedly show two sets of notes in toilets, one in a White House lavatory and the other on a foreign presidential trip.

The papers seemed to be handwritten rather than official paperwork.

One of the crumpled up documents in the toilet had politicians’ names scribbled in black sharpie.

Two names are visible on the ripped paper: Rogers and Stefanik.

Probably Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama and GOP Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik, a Trump loyalist.

Trump spokesperson Taylor Budowich told Axios, ‘You must be desperate to sell books if you use toilet bowl pictures to promote them.’

‘There are enough individuals eager to invent things like this to satisfy the media elite,’ he said.

Trump is also involved in the Justice Department’s investigation of efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the January 6th insurrection.

Fulton County, Georgia’s district attorney is investigating whether Trump and his aides interfered in Biden’s election.

New York state is also investigating Trump criminally and civilly.