Newly released records show that officials within the Biden administration’s FBI initially concluded they had “no probable cause” to execute a search warrant at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate during the August 2022 classified documents raid. The findings, detailed in internal communications between the Justice Department and federal authorities, contradict assertions by some that sufficient evidence existed for the operation.
Emails obtained through Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reveal the FBI’s hesitation over pursuing a search warrant for Trump’s Florida home. At one point, officials argued there were less intrusive methods to recover classified records stored at Mar-a-Lago, emphasizing the need for “a second path” to secure the warrant without escalating public perception. A Washington Field Office memo explicitly stated that the bureau did not believe it had established probable cause for a search warrant covering classified materials, despite Justice Department assertions favoring a broad scope including Trump’s residence and office spaces.
The documents further indicate that FBI officials sought cooperation from Trump’s attorney Evan Corcoran to recover records, noting his past assistance in similar matters. However, Corcoran later recused himself and became a witness in the case. Just days before the August 8 raid, agents reportedly requested a “professional, low-key” execution of the warrant to avoid negative optics—though evidence suggests the operation unfolded with significant disruption, including swarming the estate’s grounds, accessing private spaces like Melania Trump’s Versailles Master Bedroom, and employing a professional safe cracker to retrieve materials.
Trump himself accused dozens of agents of forcibly entering his home and breaking into a safe during the search for classified documents, while he and his family had relocated to New Jersey prior to the raid.
