Hours after the Justice Department requested a court to unseal the warrant, citing the “strong public interest in this case,” former president Donald Trump demanded late Thursday for its “prompt” release. The FBI had used the warrant to search his Florida residence.
Trump stated in posts made to his Truth Social platform, “Not only will I not oppose the release of records, but I am going one step further by ENCOURAGING the quick release of those documents.” The FBI search of Mar-a-Lago was criticised by him as “unAmerican, unwarranted, and needless” as he went on.
“Release the documents now!” he wrote.
Such materials typically remain sealed during an ongoing investigation, so the Justice Department’s request earlier on Thursday is noteworthy. However, the department seemed to understand that its silence following the search had left a space for venomous rhetorical attacks from Trump and his supporters, and that the public was entitled to hear the FBI’s explanation for what led to Monday’s operation at the former president’s residence.
A request made in federal court in Florida on Thursday stated that “the public’s strong and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs significantly in favour of unsealing.”
Trump and the FBI have not provided any information regarding the documents they may have found or the precise nature of their search. But the former president criticised the search once more on Thursday.
Trump said the search was carried out despite his cooperation with the Justice Department over the search, despite his years-long criticism of the FBI and attempts to instil mistrust in its judgement among his supporters.
Prior to the search, Trump claimed that his “attorneys and representatives were complying fully” and that federal officials “could have had whatever they wanted, anytime they wanted, if we had it” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
The Justice Department has until Friday afternoon to alert the judge about whether Trump will object to the release.
