The FBI’s searches of former US President Donald Trump’s home, allegedly looking for classified documents that he took with him to Mar-a-Lago after leaving the White House, triggered a strong response from Republicans. Minority leader Kevin McCarthy threatens to launch an investigation into the Department of Justice, which he accuses of having reached an “intolerable state of politicization” and of having become a weapon of Democrats to prevent Trump from running for a new term in 2024.
“These are dark days for our nation, my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is under siege and has been raided and occupied by numerous FBI agents,” Trump said in a statement late Monday night. (already dawn in Portugal), explaining that a safe had been broken into. “After working and cooperating with relevant government agencies, this unannounced search of my home was neither necessary nor appropriate,” added Trump, who was in New Jersey at the time. His Political Action Committee, Save America, took the opportunity to launch an appeal for donations with the aim of facing the “political persecution” of Trump – which some say could launch the candidacy as early as this summer.
Congressional Republicans, speaking of an “unprecedented action”, on Tuesday demanded answers from both Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, wanting them to testify in Congress to explain the searches. The minority leader went further, threatening an investigation by the Justice Department when Republicans regain – he hopes as early as November – a majority in the House of Representatives. Former Vice President Mike Pence himself, who did not get off on the best terms with Trump, was “deeply concerned” and pointed the finger at the “partisanship” of the Department of Justice.
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