Former US President Donald Trump claimed that the FBI searched his Florida property and that a safe was forced open during the search.
According to reports, Monday's search was related to a probe into how Mr. Trump handled government documents.
Our country is going through "dark times," according to Mr. Trump's comments. "A President of the United States has never experienced anything like this before."
The justice department and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) have not responded to the purported search.
The Presidential Records Act (PRA) mandates that all correspondence, official papers, and emails from American presidents be transferred to the National Archives (NA).
Regarding the handling of secret materials, there is further additional federal legislation.
The National Archives reported in February that it had taken 15 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago that Mr. Trump was supposed to turn up when he departed the White House.
Later, the CIA informed Congress that "materials identified as sensitive national security information" were contained in the boxes.
According to Christina Bobb, Mr. Trump's attorney, certain documents were confiscated during the search, she told NBC News.
As the Republican candidate gears himself for a potential second presidential bid in 2024, the investigation into Mr. Trump by federal authorities has dramatically increased.
Some of Donald Trump's fans have risen up in response to news of the search. Outside Mar-a-Lago, a gathering of Trump supporters gathered to wave flags and vent their rage.
Kevin McCarthy, the leader of the minority party in the House of Representatives, said: "Enough of what I saw. The politicization of the Department of Justice has reached an untenable level."
While this was going on, Republican Florida Senator Marco Rubio tweeted: "Using government authority to pursue political opponents is something we have seen many times from 3rd world Marxist dictatorships."
Four lessons from the hearings on January 6
Trump's legal status is being investigated, the US National Archives has requested. According to Mr. Trump, who has cooperated with all relevant federal authorities, the "unannounced raid on my house was not necessary nor acceptable."
In order to keep him from running for president again, he claimed that there had been "prosecutorial wrongdoing" and "the weaponization of the legal system."
Such an assault "could only occur in impoverished Third-World nations," he stated. "Unfortunately, America has now joined that group of nations, where corruption is at an unprecedented level.
Even my safe was broken into by them.
Mr. Trump was reportedly in Trump Tower in New York City at the time of the alleged raid, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.
The FBI's execution of the search warrant on Mr. Trump's Mar-a-Lago home was connected to an inquiry into the management of National Archives documents, according to Eric Trump, the second-oldest son of the president, who spoke to Fox News.
The NA asked the justice department to look into Mr. Trump's handling of government documents in February.
Authorities in the NA claim that the previous president illegally tore up several papers. They said that some of them needed to be stitched back together.
At the time, Mr. Trump dismissed allegations that he had improperly handled government records as "fake news."
According to a top Trump associate in Palm Beach, the latest government search at Mar-a-Lago is related to the presidential records.
The Trump insider, who only consented to talk on the condition of anonymity, stated, "This is about the PRA."
When was the last time a PRA raid made the news?
"They [the FBI] just left and they departed with very little," the person continued.
A judge must certify a warrant for a federal search. Although a warrant of this kind does not imply that criminal charges are anticipated, law enforcement authorities must first prove they have solid evidence of illicit activity.
The Secret Service was informed just before the warrant was served at 10:00 local time on Monday (14:00 GMT), according to an unidentified law enforcement official who spoke to CBS, and the officers guarding Mr. Trump assisted the FBI investigators.
The source stated that many crates were hauled away and that no doors were kicked down during the raid, which was finished by late afternoon.
According to New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman, who is the author of the upcoming book Confidence Man, personnel at the White House residence occasionally discovered wads of paper clogging a toilet and thought Mr. Trump was the flusher.
Photos that Ms. Haberman claims show paper in a toilet bowl at the White House have been shared online.
President Joe Biden's administration was not informed of the FBI search, a top White House official told CBS.
The senior official, who was not permitted to talk publicly about the situation, said, "No advance knowledge." "Some learned through traditional media, while others from social media."
In order to prevent any indication of political pressure or improper behavior, the White House has stated that it will limit its interactions with senior justice department employees.
While running for president, Mr. Biden vowed to avoid getting involved in the activities of the justice department. The Biden family and the Democratic president are also anticipating whether or whether federal prosecutors would prosecute Hunter Biden with tax evasion or other criminal offenses.
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