3 hours ago
The US Department of Justice has released a heavily redacted affidavit justifying the unprecedented search of Donald Trump’s Florida home.
The redaction process includes hiding certain words or phrases.
The ministry added that the document was withheld to protect witnesses and the integrity of the investigation.
The statement explains why the FBI has requested a warrant to recover materials the former president allegedly illegally took from the White House.
It also points to evidence kept at Trump’s home, relating to national defense and obstruction of justice.
The statement also indicates that the boxes, which were previously taken from Trump’s residence in Florida, known as “Mar-a-Lago”, contain highly classified materials, mixed with old newspapers and magazines, some of them in the handwriting of Trump, who denies any wrongdoing. legal.
The White House press secretary declined to comment on the briefing, but President Joe Biden answered questions from reporters, who asked him to answer while standing outside the White House.
When reporters asked if Trump might declassify the documents on a large scale, as he claimed, Biden questioned it.
“I’ve declassified everything in the world! I’m the president, I can do it all!” Biden said, clearly mocking Trump’s statement.
Then he added to reporters, “I will not comment on the matter.”
Biden continued, “I don’t know the details. I don’t even want to know. Let the Department of Justice take care of the matter.”
photo released, Getty Images
Law enforcement officers in front of former President Donald Trump’s home at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
According to the affidavit, the classified documents, which were kept at Mar-a-Lago, likely contain some of the secrets of the US national security community.
Among a batch of documents delivered to the National Archives earlier this year, FBI agents found sensitive records that may contain intelligence from the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the National Security Agency (NSA). “.
Some records were marked with a flag indicating information regarding spies in foreign countries, whose lives would be at risk if their identities were revealed.
Other records were flagged, indicating intelligence gathering regarding suspected espionage or terrorism suspects.
The agents also found records that may contain intercepts of foreign communications and intelligence, which must not be released to foreign governments or citizens, as well as records that cannot be shared without the consent of their original owner.
