Agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) rooted through the personal belongings of former first lady Melania Trump as they executed a search warrant believed to be connected to classified material that former President Donald Trump was supposed to return to the National Archives earlier this year.
The New York Post reported Tuesday afternoon that the agents “scoured Melania Trump’s wardrobe” in the Versailles Master Bedroom at the Mar-a-Lago residence.
Lawyers for the Department of Justice present during the raid reportedly informed Trump’s representatives that the search warrant gave them “full access to everything” on site.
Reports have claimed that Trump’s lawyers were not allowed to observe agents searching the property, although this has not yet been confirmed.
Federal agents executed the search warrant because they reportedly believed that Trump held back turning over all the classified information, which included documents marked as “top secret,” that was supposed to be sent back earlier this year.
Federal agents removed more than 10 boxes of material, which is being sorted at a local FBI field office, from the property during the raid.
Agents were reportedly at the property the entire day and were dressed in plain clothes, leading staff to believe that they were U.S. Secret Service agents, which is why news of the executed search warrant did not leak.
Trump’s Secret Service agents were notified about the raid only moments before it occurred. Trump had lawyers present during the raid while he was at his residence in New York City.
Federal prosecutors opened a grand jury investigation back in May into Trump over whether classified material that ended up at his home in Mar-a-Lago was mishandled.
The main purpose of these types of investigations is usually for federal authorities to determine if any classified material was compromised so that intelligence officials can take steps to protect sensitive sources and methods. Prosecutors are seeking to learn every aspect of how the documents were handled from the time the documents left the White House until they were returned to the National Archives.
For prosecutors to be able to prove that a crime was committed, they would need evidence showing that the parties involved in removing the documents from the White House knew that the documents were classified and knew that removing them would violate the law.
“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents,” Trump said in a statement. “After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate.”
“They even broke into my safe!” Trump said. “It is political targeting at the highest level!”