REVEALED: FBI agent in charge of Trump Mar-a-Lago raid said he had ‘strong concerns’ about the operation, claims the bureau did not obtain consent from agents to carry out research and that it was “highly unusual” for DC to conduct an investigation in Florida in testimony to Republicans
- D’Antuono exposed several anomalies in the raid, including that the Miami field office did not handle it
- He also noted that the FBI would not wait for Trump’s attorney to show up before proceeding with the search.
- Trump has been charged with seven federal charges relating to his handling of classified documents
Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan said Friday that an FBI agent expressed “strong concerns” and revealed “several unusual features” during the Justice Department’s raid on Mar-a-Lago.
The DOJ on Thursday indicted Donald Trump on charges related to his handling of classified documents. Three days earlier, the committee did a transcribed interview with Steven D’Antuono, the former deputy director in charge of the FBI’s field office in Washington.
D’Antuono, one of the most experienced agents in charge of the raid, told the committee he was frustrated the FBI found itself “holding the bag” with the Mar-a-Lago raid in August 2022.
Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan said Friday that an FBI agent expressed “strong concerns” and revealed “several unusual features” during the Justice Department’s raid on Mar-a-Lago.
D’Antuono exposed several anomalies in the raid, including that the Miami field office did not handle it – headquarters instead tasked the Washington, D.C. field office with carrying out the warrant.
D’Antuono said he had “absolutely no idea” why the decision was made. He also noted that the FBI would not wait for Trump’s attorney to show up before proceeding with the search. He said the FBI should have tried to work with the attorney to obtain consent to search the residence before proceeding with the search.
D’Antuono said he believed Attorney General Merrick Garland or FBI Director Christopher Wray made the decision to seek the warrant “despite opposition from line agents” working on the case.
D’Antuono also noted that the FBI did not assign a US attorney’s office to the case.
Trump has been charged with seven federal charges — including conspiracy, violating the Espionage Act and withholding classified documents — related to documents he took with him after leaving the White House.
Trump’s most recent charge – which he called a persecution – marks the first time in US history that a former president has faced federal charges.
While Republicans insist the indictment is politically motivated, the White House on Friday insisted it had no prior knowledge of the indictment and President Biden said that he hadn’t spoken to Garland about it.
“I haven’t spoken to him at all and I’m not going to speak to him. And I have no comment on that.
Charges against Trump include: conspiracy to obstruct justice; withhold a document or file; concealment by corruption of a document or file; and the concealment of a document in a federal investigation.
Some of the charges carry a maximum sentence of 20 years.
