Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

FBI cites 'evidence of obstruction' in Trump Florida home search

FBI cites 'evidence of obstruction' in Trump Florida home search

The FBI told a judge they expected to find "evidence of obstruction" of justice in a search of former President Donald Trump's Florida home, according to newly released court papers.
Investigators said top secret files had been stored at Mar-a-Lago along with assorted newspapers and magazines.

The Justice Department said it censored the affidavit to protect "a significant number of civilian witnesses".

Trump said the inquiry was being led by "political Hacks and Thugs".

On Friday, the US Department of Justice released a version of the affidavit used to justify the FBI's incursion into Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate on Aug. 8, but it has been heavily redacted.

Given that the court papers were filed before the search of the Palm Beach estate, they contain no new details on the 11 sets of classified documents that the justice department has said were recovered from the exclusive golf club.

The FBI agent who drafted the affidavit wrote they had "probable cause" to believe that "evidence, contraband, fruits of crimes or other items illegally possessed" would be discovered.

"There is also probable cause to believe that evidence of obstruction will be found at the premises," the agent added.

The document shows that the unprecedented criminal investigation into a former president began after the National Archives, which maintains historic White House records, identified "a lot" of classified files among 15 boxes that it had recovered from Mar-a-Lago in January this year.

An FBI review of those materials uncovered 184 classified documents, including 25 marked as "Top Secret".

The cache included information from highly sensitive US intelligence human sources. Some items were also marked "Noforn" — meaning they must not be released to foreign nationals.

The files — some of which appeared to show Trump's handwritten notes — were interspersed with newspapers, magazines and other documents, according to the affidavit.

"Of most significant concern was that highly classified records were unfoldered, intermixed with other records and otherwise unproperly identified," the document said.

The discovery led investigators to believe that Trump may have been in violation of three separate federal laws, including the Espionage Act that governs classified information.

Of the 38 pages in the unsealed affidavit, 21 are mostly or entirely blacked out. There are several pages in which not a single word is visible.

A separate document explaining the proposed redactions noted that some parts of the affidavit must remain under seal to "protect the safety and privacy of civilian witnesses, in addition to law enforcement personnel, as well as to protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation".

Revealing the identities of witnesses, the document added, could potentially lead to them being subjected to harms including "retaliation, intimidation, or harassment and even threats to their physical safety".

Trump — who may launch another White House campaign for 2024 — reacted angrily on his social media platform, Truth Social.

He said that Judge Bruce Reinhart, who signed off on the search, should never have allowed the "break-in of my home". Trump also accused the judge of "animosity" towards him.

He has maintained that he had already ordered all the documents to be declassified.

The Justice Department's investigation is now expected to continue behind closed doors as it continues to review the documents and — potentially — call in more witnesses.

The public may not hear from prosecutors about the investigation until a decision has been made on whether it will result in any criminal charges.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×