FORMER President Donald Trump is is being probed under the Espionage Act after “top secret” documents were seized from him.
The FBI recovered the records from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers released yesterday.
One list of documents is marked “TS/SCI” – or top secret / sensitive compartmented information – a level reserved for information that could cause “exceptionally grave” damage to US security.
The items removed include over 20 boxes, binders of photos, and a clemency letter written on behalf of political strategist Roger Stone, a long-time Trump ally.
Also recovered was information about the “President of France”, although it is unclear what that refers to.
A seven-page document including the warrant was unsealed on Friday afternoon.
In a statement yesterday, Trump claimed that the documents seized by agents were all declassified, and argued that he would have turned over the documents to the Justice Department if asked.
He denies any wrongdoing and his spokesman added the raid was “outrageous”.
The warrant notes that the locations searched at Mar-a-Lago include an area called the “45 office” and storage rooms, but not private guest suites being used by Mr Trump and his staff.
It was approved by a judge on 5 August, three days before it was carried out on Monday, 8 August.
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Monday’s search marked the first time the property of a former president has been searched as part of a criminal investigation.
Mr Trump and many of his Republican allies have condemned the move as politically motivated.
