Former US President Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate raided by FBI

Former US President Donald Trump on Monday said the FBI was conducting a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and their agents had broken open his safe, asserting that such an "assault" would only take place in broken, third-world countries.

The 45th US President released a lengthy statement on Monday, where he declared his Florida home was "under siege".

"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. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before," 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," he said.

The US Justice Department is investigating whether Trump had taken classified records to his Florida residence after he left the White House in 2020.

"They even broke into my safe! What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee? Here, in reverse, Democrats broke into the home of the 45th President of the United States," the former president said.

The FBI raid comes at a time when Trump was preparing to launch his 2024 US presidential bid.

"It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponisation of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don't want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections," Trump said.

Trump, 76, alleged that such an assault could only take place in broken, third-world countries.

"Sadly, America has now become one of those countries, corrupt at a level not seen before," he said.

Demanding that the lawlessness, political persecution and witch-hunt must be exposed and stopped.

"It is political targeting at the highest level!" he said.

"I will continue to fight for the Great American People!" he added.

Trump is facing another investigation for allegedly helping incite the mob on January 6, 2021, with a "web of lies" about the 2020 US presidential election being marred by widespread voter fraud.

Trump is the only US President to have never held political office prior to his presidency.

Published on: Tuesday, August 09, 2022, 10:59 AM IST