Investigators executed Monday’s search in part because they had developed evidence, including from at least one witness, that potentially classified documents still remained at the Palm Beach, Fla., property, months after the National Archives ordered the recovery of 15 boxes of documents that included classified information in January of this year, a person briefed on the matter said.
Authorities also believed the documents left at Mar-a-Lago had national security implications, CNN reported earlier this week.
The subpoena, issued before the June meeting, during which investigators were shown where documents were kept in a basement room at Trump’s residence and private club, shows how the investigation has intensified and suggests that the discussions had turned into conflict long before Monday’s search.
The criminal investigation began with concerns about missing documents raised by the National Archives, which made a criminal referral to the Department of Justice. That led to FBI interviews with grand jury subpoena aides for this week’s court-authorized search and seizure of documents.
Trump and his lawyers have tried to present their interactions with Justice Department prosecutors as cooperative, and that the search has been a shock. The subpoena was first reported by Just the News.Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal previously reported that the search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence was prompted by a tip to investigators about the possibility of documents additional classifieds.
In response to questions about the grand jury subpoena, Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said in a statement to CNN: “Monday’s unprecedented and completely unnecessary raid on President Trump’s home was just the latest and more flagrant act of hostility by the Biden Administration, whose Justice Department has been armed to harass President Trump, his supporters, and his staff.”
Earlier this spring, federal investigators began interviewing members of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago staff and former White House officials who were involved in moving documents from the West Wing to his residence in Palm Beach at the end of his presidency, according to three people in the know. with those interviews.
In addition to the grand jury subpoena for the documents, CNN previously reported that federal investigators separately served a subpoena for surveillance video at Mar-a-Lago, seeking to gather information about who had access to the areas. where the documents were stored, according to people briefed on the matter. The subpoena to the Trump Organization, the former president’s company that operates the Palm Beach property, came after the June meeting.
CNN previously reported that federal investigators visited Mar-a-Lago in June to discuss White House records they believed were still being held at the Palm Beach property with the former president and his lawyers.
Trump was present at the beginning of the meeting to greet the investigators but did not stay to answer questions. During the meeting, Trump’s lawyers showed investigators documents, some of which had markings indicating they were classified. Agents were given custody of the documents that were marked top or top secret, according to a person familiar with the matter.