White House says declassified emails show DOJ and FBI clashed over 2022 Mar-a-Lago raid
Declassified documents released by the White House reveal internal FBI emails that questioned the need for a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago and criticized the DOJ’s handling of the 2022 raid.
Internal communications from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, released after declassification by Donald Trump, detail a series of messages in spring 2022 that questioned the justification for a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. Agents expressed doubt about probable cause, proposed obtaining documents through the former president’s attorney, and criticized the Department of Justice, led by Merrick Garland, for being unresponsive and fixated on a raid.
The raid ultimately occurred on August 8, 2022, despite the FBI’s reservations. The White House cited the emails as proof that the Biden administration used the DOJ to target political rivals, calling the action "weaponization of law enforcement." The documents also disclosed that the FBI had monitored White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles’ phone and tracked Melania and Barron Trump. The case remains part of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation, with Trump pleading not guilty to multiple felony counts.
Why it matters
The emails suggest internal dissent over a high-profile raid, raising questions about political influence on law-enforcement decisions.
How this story developed
- Sep 22 Congress probes Jack Smith’s alleged seizure of lawmakers’ phone data amid Arctic Frost scandal
- Sep 29 The Senate Judiciary Committee held the hearing with Jack Smith.
- Sep 29 Sen. Eric Schmitt asked former special counsel Jack Smith about attending an Atlanta NBA game, but Smith said he was at a Maryland college basketball game, revealing a mix-up.
- Sep 30 A whistleblower disclosed that the Arctic Frost probe collected private messages from journalists at over a dozen news outlets.
- Oct 2 The hearing generated a meme‑worthy clip that spread online.
- Oct 2 Senator Thom Tillis sent a profane private message to Donald Trump, saying he would quit and tell Trump to “f—— yourself” if threatened with a primary.
- Oct 7 The memoir and the private texts were made public as part of the book’s promotion.
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