FBI search of Mar-a-Lago

For the related investigation by the FBI, see Plasmic Echo.

FBI search of Mar-a-Lago
Part of Plasmic Echo
Evidence seized, arrayed, and photographed by the FBI at Mar-a-Lago on August 30, 2022
DateAugust 8, 2022
LocationMar-a-Lago
MotiveTo recover classified documents which had reportedly been illegally kept by former United States president Donald Trump
OutcomeThe seizing of over at least 300 classified government documents from Trump's Florida residence, as well as the seizing of 48 empty folders labeled "classified"
Appointment of Jack Smith to investigate Trump's handling of classified documents
Second indictment of Donald Trump
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On August 8, 2022, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago, the residence of former U.S. president Donald Trump in Palm Beach, Florida.

The search warrant application was authorized by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and approved by Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, following a criminal referral by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). The order, unsealed a few days after the search, showed that the FBI obtained the search warrant as part of an investigation into Trump relating to three federal criminal statutes:

  • violations of the Espionage Act regarding unauthorized retention of national defense information;
  • destroying or concealing records "with the intent to impede obstruct or influence" federal government activity;
  • illegal removal or destruction of federal government records (without respect to cause).[1][2]

Later, courts released the affidavit with redactions, giving the public a window into the FBI's goals in this search[3][4] and what the FBI seized.[5][6] In 2021, NARA tried to recover material, and Trump went through the material in his possession at the end of that year.[7] Surveillance footage subpoenaed by the Justice Department in June 2022 showed boxes were moved in and out of a storage room at some point.[8][9] The Justice Department said the classified documents at Mar-a-Lago were likely "concealed and removed" to block investigation.[10][11]

Over 13,000 government documents were recovered.[12][6][13][14] They included nuclear-related information and FBI, CIA, and NSA information about national security interests. Of these documents, 337 were classified: 197 handed over in January 2022, 38 turned over under subpoena in June 2022, and 102 seized in the August search of Mar-a-Lago.[15][5][16][10] Months later, at least two more documents with classified markings were uncovered at Trump locations.[17][18]

On June 8, 2023, Trump was indicted on federal charges related to the documents.[19] On June 13, 2023, Trump surrendered to federal custody and was arrested, booked, processed, and arraigned in the U.S. District Court of South Florida.[20][21] Trump pleaded not guilty to all 37 charges.[22] On July 27, a new version of the indictment (superseding the old) added three counts against Trump.[23]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT-20220812 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference SavageDoesntMatter was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2023July5affidavitCNN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference CNNannotated was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Sneed, Tierney; Lillis, Katie Bo (September 2, 2022). "Mar-a-Lago search inventory shows documents marked as classified mixed with clothes, gifts, press clippings". CNN. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference NYT-20220903cb was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Haberman, Maggie; Kantor, Jodi; Goldman, Adam; Protess, Ben (August 22, 2022). "Trump Had More Than 300 Classified Documents at Mar-a-Lago". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 23, 2022. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  8. ^ Lowell, Hugo (August 23, 2022). "Trump stash retrieved from Mar-a-Lago runs to hundreds of classified files". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 4, 2022. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
  9. ^ Haberman, Maggie; Thrush, Glenn (August 13, 2022). "Trump Lawyer Told Justice Dept. That Classified Material Had Been Returned". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved August 13, 2022.
  10. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference TA-20221011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Stein, Perry (October 14, 2022). "Justice Dept. asks appeals court to end Mar-a-Lago special master". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on October 15, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2022.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference RT-20220904 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Sneed, Tierney; Polantz, Katelyn (September 29, 2022). "Trump pushing back on special master's request for him to declare in court whether DOJ inventory is accurate". CNN. Archived from the original on October 5, 2022. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  15. ^ "Read the full text of the Trump indictment in classified documents case". The Washington Post. June 9, 2023. p. 4. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on June 9, 2023. Retrieved June 9, 2023. On January 17...TRUMP provided only 15 boxes, which contained 197 documents with classification markings. On June 3...TRUMP's attorney provided to the FBI 38 more documents with classification markings. On August 8...the FBI recovered...102 more documents with classification markings.
  16. ^ Cite error: The named reference WP-20220906 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  17. ^ Cite error: The named reference WP-20221207 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  18. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT-20221207 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  19. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  20. ^ Allen, Jonathan; Gregorian, Darah; Seitz, Alex (June 13, 2023). "Trump surrenders to federal custody; is booked ahead of arraignment". NBC News. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  21. ^ "Trump booked and processed at Miami federal court". NBC News. June 13, 2023. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  22. ^ Herb, Jeremy; Lybrand, Holmes (June 13, 2023). "Donald Trump pleads not guilty to classified documents charges". CNN. Archived from the original on July 18, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  23. ^ Mangan, Dan; Breuninger, Kevin (July 27, 2023). "Trump hit with new charges in classified documents case, third defendant added". CNBC. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023.