Donald Trump took classified documents – some marked top secret – home to his Mar-a-Lago residence, an FBI affidavit has revealed.
The 32-page document, even in its redacted form, contains additional details about an ongoing criminal investigation into Mr Trump as he lays the groundwork for another presidential run.
Released by the US Justice Department, it highlights the amount of sensitive government documents that Mr Trump had taken to Mar-a-Lago and FBI concerns that the records were retained illegally.
While there are a number of details relating to the investigation, officials also redacted large chunks to protect the identity of witnesses and to avoid revealing sensitive investigative tactics.
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“The government is conducting a criminal investigation concerning the improper removal and storage of classified information in unauthorised spaces, as well as the unlawful concealment or removal of government records,” an FBI agent wrote on the first page of the affidavit in seeking a judge’s permission for a warrant to search the property
The affidavit does not provide new details about the 11 sets of classified records recovered during the 8 August search at Mar-a-Lago.
However, it described a separate batch of 15 boxes that the National Archives and Records Administration received from the home in January – a year after he had left the White House.
In those boxes, according to the affidavit, officials located 184 documents bearing classification markings, including 67 marked as confidential, 92 secret and 25 top secret.
An armed Secret Service agent stands outside the Mar-a-Lago estate as FBI agents searched the property
Agents who inspected the boxes found markings related to information provided by confidential human sources as well as information related to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.
The agent said the Justice Department had reason to believe there were more such records that had not been returned to the government still sitting inside Mr Trump’s home.
The FBI submitted the affidavit to a judge so it could obtain a warrant to search Mr Trump’s property on 8 August.
Mr Trump reacted on social media, writing: “Affidavit heavily redacted!!! Nothing mentioned on “Nuclear,” a total public relations subterfuge by the FBI & DOJ, or our close working relationship regarding document turnover – WE GAVE THEM MUCH.
“Judge Bruce Reinhart should NEVER have allowed the Break-In of my home. He recused himself two months ago from one of my cases based on his animosity and hatred of your favorite President, me.
“What changed? Why hasn’t he recused himself on this case? Obama must be very proud of him right now!”
A separate document – a Memorandum of Law – explaining the need for redactions to the affidavit, says “revealing this information could severely disadvantage the government as it seeks further information from witnesses… These concerns are particularly compelling in this case… In short, the government has well founded concerns that steps may be taken to frustrate or otherwise interfere with this investigation if facts in the affidavit were prematurely disclosed”.
And referencing the witnesses the FBI is relying on, the Memorandum of Law says: “If witnesses’ identities are exposed they could be subjected to harms including retaliation, intimidation or harassment and even threats to their physical safety… These concerns are not hypothetical in this case.”
The search warrant affidavit is not proof of a crime, but rather represents the Justice Department’s belief that it has probable cause that a crime has been committed.
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