Former first lady Melania Trump recently criticized the FBI for its raid on her husband’s Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago, as part of an investigation into alleged classified documents retention by former President Donald Trump. She described the search and seizure at her home as a violation of privacy and warned that this event should serve as a cautionary tale for all Americans.
Melania recalled in a video message how she never expected her personal life to be invaded by the government, and shared her experience of the FBI raid on her Florida residence. She emphasized that the incident is not just her story but serves as a warning to all citizens about the need to respect and preserve individual freedom and rights.
Leading up to the August 8, 2022, FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago, authorities had been in contact with Donald Trump’s team in an attempt to recover any remaining classified documents. In May of that year, the Justice Department issued a subpoena for these files. The department received material from Trump in June 2022, and one of his attorneys signed a letter confirming that authorities had recovered all classified documents as far as she knew.
However, officials were not convinced they had retrieved all of the former president’s classified documents and conducted the raid accordingly. As a result of the search, hundreds of pages worth of material with classification markings were confiscated from Mar-a-Lago, according to court documents.
In response to the FBI’s actions, Donald Trump was charged with 40 counts for his alleged hoarding of classified documents and conspiring to undermine investigators by special counsel Jack Smith. However, US District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed this case in July, but Smith’s team is working on reviving it.
The former president is seeking to sue the Department of Justice (DOJ) for over $100 million in damages, citing its alleged “clear intent to engage in political persecution.” Trump still faces 14 pending counts across two indictments; he has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Throughout her husband’s third run for the presidency, Melania Trump largely remained out of the public eye, making few appearances with the former president and rarely speaking out. Her recent video post is the second in recent days and follows a message discussing the assassination attempt on her husband.
In that video, she expressed concerns about the lack of law enforcement intervention before the attack on her husband’s life and called for the truth to be revealed. Melania Trump is promoting her upcoming book, “Melania,” which will share personal stories from her time in the White House, shed light on her advocacy work, and reveal never-before-seen images and stories.
Melania Trump’s son Barron has recently begun college at New York University, and her forthcoming book is set to hit bookshelves on October 1st.
