Donald Trump says FBI agents raided his Mar-a-Lago Florida home
Ex-US President Donald Trump has said his Florida home was raided by the FBI, and that agents broke open a safe.
Mr Trump said in a statement that Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach was “occupied by a large group of FBI agents”.
Monday’s search was reportedly connected to an investigation into Mr Trump’s handling of official papers.
“These are dark times for our nation,” Mr Trump’s statement said. “Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.”
The FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and the justice department have not commented on the reported search.
American presidents are required by the Presidential Records Act (PRA) to transfer all of their letters, work documents and emails to the National Archives (NA).
The dramatic escalation of law enforcement scrutiny of Mr Trump comes as the Republican prepares for a possible another presidential run in 2024.
Mr Trump said he had co-operated with all relevant government agencies and so the “unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate”.
He said it amounted to “prosecutorial misconduct” and “the weaponization of the justice system” to prevent him from running for the White House again.
“Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World countries,” he said. “Sadly, America has now become one of those countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.
“They even broke into my safe!”
Agencies