Donald Trump FBI Raid Updates: What Followed the Mar-a-Lago Raid

What Followed the Mar-a-Lago Raid

The FBI's raid of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence was followed by widespread speculation about what federal agents were looking for and Republican outrage about the "unprecedented" search.

Trump and some of his family members have spoken out against the raid, which was reportedly tied to classified documents. Trump released an initial statement Monday night, and on Tuesday he described the raid as "a horrible thing" in posts on Truth Social. He also alleged that President Joe Biden "knew all about this," though the White House has said Biden was not briefed on the raid before it occurred and found out about it through public media reports.

The House January 6 Committee investigating the actions leading up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, also said it "knew nothing" ahead of time about the raid.

Several top Republicans voiced surprise and concern about the raid, pointing out that never before has a former president's personal residence been searched by authorities. Former Vice President Mike Pence suggested the raid showed the "appearance of continued partisanship" by the U.S. Department of Justice and called for Attorney General Merrick Garland to give an immediate and "full accounting" of "why this action was taken."

Many Republicans called for Garland to quickly provide information about the raid, and some called for him to resign. Others directed their criticisms at the FBI, saying it needed to provide answers right away and suggesting deep changes were needed at the bureau.

Some within the GOP who are running for re-election in the 2022 midterms asked for supporter donations on Tuesday while citing the raid. Alyssa Farah Griffin, the White House's former director of strategic communications during the Trump administration, also said during an appearance on CNN that the raid could benefit Trump in a potential 2024 run for office if the American public later learns that the search was focused solely on the handling of presidential documents.

"If it's seen as some sort of massive overreach and not something incredibly serious, this is a very good day for Donald Trump," Griffin said.

Police Reportedly Brace for Armed Protesters

Police in Palm Beach, Florida, are reportedly anticipating that armed protesters will travel to Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday following the FBI's Monday raid of former President Donald Trump's home at the estate.

Trump supporters were near the former president's Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday night in the hours after the raid. Photos captured that evening showed them gathering outside Mar-a-Lago while holding flags in support of Trump.

Palm Beach police said on Tuesday that they received information about armed protesters in support of Trump traveling to the area, according to The Daily Mail. Authorities in Palm Beach reportedly asked nearby departments to stay aware and keep an eye out for armed protesters coming into the area.

Palm Beach police said in a statement posted on social media that the department had not been told about the FBI's search warrant before the raid took place, "nor did our department assist the FBI in the execution of a search warrant."

Trump Says Biden 'Knew All About' Raid

Former President Donald Trump described the FBI's Monday search of his Mar-a-Lago residence as a "horrible thing" and alleged that President Joe Biden "knew all about this" in Tuesday afternoon posts on Truth Social.

The White House said earlier Tuesday that Biden did not have prior knowledge that the raid was going to happen.

"A horrible thing that took place yesterday at Mar-a-Lago," Trump said in one post. "We are no better than a third world country, a banana republic."

Trump said the raid was "a continuation" of the Russia investigation, both of the impeachment hearings he faced as president "and more."

"To make matters worse it is all, in my opinion, a coordinated attack with Radical Left Democrat state & local D.A.'s & A.G.'s," he said.

A few minutes later, Trump said in a separate Truth Social post that Biden "knew all about this, just like he knew all about Hunter's 'deals.'"

Earlier Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden found out about the FBI's raid from public reports when asked if he had been briefed about the search before it began.

"No one at the White House was given a heads up," she told reporters, adding that the U.S. Department of Justice "conducts all investigations independently" from the White House.

Who's Most Interested in the Raid?

According to Google Trends, searches for "Mar-a-Lago" in the last 24 hours have (unsurprisingly) shot up, writes Newsweek data editor Rob Minto.

The state with the most searches is Florida, which makes sense given Trump's property is based there. Florida is though something of an exception, being a Republican state according to the 2020 election results.

After Florida, the next 11 states ranked by Google Search interest are all Democrat leaning as per 2020. Washington, D.C. ranks second in Mar-a-Lago search volume, followed by Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Michigan.

Aside from Florida, there are only four Republican states in the top 24 ranked for interest in Mar-a-Lago, and only seven Democrat states in the last 27 states. It seems that when it comes to wanting the latest on the FBI raid at the former President's residence, Republican voters are less enthusiastic, even if Republican leaders are outraged.

Here is the full list:

Trump Jr. Says 'Witch Hunt' Continues

Donald Trump Jr. said the "witch hunt" targeting his father "continues" in a Tuesday reaction to the FBI's raid of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.

The former president's oldest son posted a video, titled "An Attack on Every American," on social media Tuesday afternoon. In the video, conservative pundits and media hosts, Trump family members and Republican politicians react to news of the FBI's search.

Some of the pundits and hosts described the FBI's actions as "unprecedented" and "an abomination." Others said the raid was "outrageous" and questioned whether Americans can trust the FBI.

"This is not just an attack on Donald Trump," Lara Trump said in the video. "This is an attack on every single American."

"Why is it that the arrows only fly at Donald Trump and his family?" Eric Trump said. "Why is it that the political persecution only goes one way in this country?"

The video concluded with a clip of the former president addressing some of his supporters. "They're coming after me because I am fighting for you," he said. "And we will win because we know how to win."

Aside from the FBI's Mar-a-Lago raid on Monday, a federal appeals court on Tuesday paved the way for the House Ways and Means Committee to access the former president's tax returns, a legal battle Trump has been fighting for years. Though the House committee said it expected to receive the documents it requested "immediately," the committee's investigation could still be impacted by the midterm elections if Republicans take control of the House, according to the Associated Press.

Trump's legal team could also appeal the court's latest decision and elevate the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, according to The New York Times.

Pelosi Calls Trump Tax Release a 'Victory for the Rule of Law'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the D.C. Appeals Court decision to release Donald Trump's tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee an "important victory for the rule of law."

"Access to the former president's tax returns is crucial to upholding the public interest, our national security and our Democracy," she said in a statement.

"We look forward to the IRS complying with this ruling and delivering the requested documents so that Ways and Means can begin its oversight responsibilities of the mandatory presidential audit program."

Pelosi also applauded Committee Chairman Richie Neal for his patience and "principled pursuit of the truth, as part of the House's ongoing fight to advance cleaner government for the people."

Biden Was Not Aware of Raid, Has Not Been Briefed

President Joe Biden had "no advance notice" about the FBI raid of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home Monday night, according to the White House.

At Tuesday's daily press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said neither Biden nor anyone in the White House was aware that the raid would occur and that Biden has not been briefed on the FBI activity since.

"No one at the White House was given a heads up," she said.

Jean-Pierre said Biden learned about the raid from public reports, "just like the American people did."

Amid Republican concerns that this raid was "politically motivated," Jean-Pierre told reporters that the Justice Department "conducts all investigations independently."

"We leave any law enforcement matters to them," she said, adding that Biden believes all independent DOJ investigations "should be free from political influence."

When Biden appointed Merrick Garland as the head of DOJ in 2021, he said he was determined to "restore the honor, integrity, the independence of the Department of Justice that has been so badly damaged."

Biden assured the American people that Garland is not his personal lawyer and does not work for him, but for the Constitution and the public, Jean-Pierre said.

Jean-Pierre referred all further questions about the investigation to the Justice Department. She would not say whether Biden has spoken with any DOJ officials.

"I don't have anything more to share on that," she said, adding that it "would not be appropriate" for the White House to comment on any ongoing criminal investigations.

House Committee Applauds Tax Ruling

The House Ways and Means Committee released a statement from Chairman Richard Neal on Tuesday that celebrated a recent court decision to release former President Donald Trump's tax returns.

Neal, a Massachusetts Democrat, said the committee has "followed the judicial process" with "great patience" in its pursuit of Trump's tax records. The congressman said he is "pleased" that the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit opinion affirmed an earlier dismissal of Trump's move to prevent the records' release.

"I'm pleased that this long-anticipated opinion makes clear the law is on our side," Neal's statement said. "When we receive the returns, we will begin our oversight of the IRS's mandatory presidential audit program."

The committee said it anticipates it will receive the former president's tax returns and audit documents "immediately."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also released a statement applauding Neal "for his patient and principled pursuit of the truth, as part of the House's ongoing fight to advance cleaner government for the people."

Neal shared Pelosi's statement on Twitter and wrote, "I have always taken the authority to make this request very seriously, and I continue to approach it with the utmost care and respect. This is about policy, not politics."

What Could This Mean for Trump?

What could Monday's FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago mean for former President Donald Trump?

Criminal defense attorney Joshua Ritter and Penn State Political Science professor Joseph Wright joined Newsweek's David H. Freedman to discuss, listen below:

Rubio Says Biden Is 'Playing With Fire'

Florida Senator Marco Rubio responded to Monday's FBI raid on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence, saying President Joe Biden is "playing with fire."

"Biden is playing with fire by using a document dispute to get the Justice Dept to persecute a likely future election opponent. Because one day what goes around is going to come around," Rubio said in a Monday evening tweet. "And then we become Nicaragua under Ortega."

On Tuesday, Rubio expanded on his concerns about the raid in a video he posted on Twitter. Rubio said many of the people now living in his home state have "seen all of this before" after "fleeing Marxist dictatorships." He described those dictatorships as "governments that use the power of the state to criminalize the opposition."

"There are no limits to what Marxists are willing to do to hold on to power," Rubio said.

The Republican senator then said he will "pray" that the U.S. will soon have new majorities in Congress. Republicans are hoping to gain control of the House and Senate following the November midterm elections.

"I pray that we're going to have new majorities in Congress after November with the guts to subpoena all the records of this raid and to haul the people who signed off on this before committees to answer public questions under oath," Rubio said.

WATCH: White House Press Briefing

The daily White House press briefing will begin soon with press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Today's briefing is scheduled for 2:40 p.m. ET, watch live here or below:

Florida AG Says Trump Wouldn't Flush Evidence

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody said the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago was "uncommon" because Donald Trump wouldn't destroy evidence.

During an interview with Fox News, Moody said that, as a federal prosecutor, she said she has worked with law enforcement "many times" on search warrants.

"I don't believe anybody in Mar-a-Lago was going to start flushing fentanyl down the toilet," she said.

Moody said these types of search warrants are "uncommon" in document disputes. She said that these search warrants are used when law enforcement fear the residents might start destroying evidence.

She also called for the search warrant and affidavit to be unsealed by the FBI.

These comments come after New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman released images Monday showing documents that former President Donald Trump apparently flushed down the toilet at the White House, according to a Trump White House source.

"That Mr. Trump was discarding documents this way was not widely known within the West Wing, but some aides were aware of the habit, which he engaged in repeatedly," Haberman told Axios. "It was an extension of Trump's term-long habit of ripping up documents that were supposed to be preserved under the Presidential Records Act."

It was reported earlier this year that Trump used to tear up documents, drafts and memo and flush them after reading them. This caused severe clogging at the White House.

Trump previously called these reports, part of Haberman's upcoming book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America, "yet another fake book, by a reporter who knows nothing about me."

Raided Safe Was Empty, Eric Trump Says

FBI agents broke into former President Donald Trump's empty safe at his Mar-a-Lago residence, according to his son Eric Trump.

Eric Trump told Fox News' Sean Hannity that he got the call about the raid and informed his father about the search. He said more than 30 FBI agents "gave absolutely no notice" before they started "ransacking an office, ransacking a closet" and broke into a safe.

Trump added that his father "didn't even have anything in the safe."

The former president also said agents broke into his safe, according to a statement, but did not disclose the contents of the safe.

Trump also said that the purpose of this raid was because "the National Archives wanted to corroborate whether or not Donald Trump had any documents in his possession."

"And my father has worked so collaboratively with them for months," he said. "In fact, the lawyer that's been working on this was totally shocked. He goes, 'I had such an amazing relationship with these people and all of a sudden, on no notice, they send, you know, 20 cars and 30 agents?'"

Eric Trump's wife, Lara Trump, told Fox News Monday night that the raid came as Democrats are "terrified" that Donald Trump will announce he is running for president again.

"They detest Donald Trump, not just on the Democrat side but the general establishment, because he's not one of them because he doesn't play their game," she said.

"They are terrified he's going to announce any day that he's running for president in 2024, and this is a very convenient way to just throw a little more mud on Donald Trump, as though they haven't already done enough," she added.

Pence Voices 'Deep Concern' About Raid

Former Vice President Mike Pence said he has "deep concern" about the "unprecedented" FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago that took place on Monday.

"I share the deep concern of millions of Americans over the unprecedented search of the personal residence of President Trump," Pence said in a Tuesday statement posted on Twitter. He went on to say that a former president has never before had their home searched in this way.

The former vice president said the FBI acted on "political motivation" throughout Trump's administration and suggested Monday's raid demonstrates the "appearance of continued partisanship" by the U.S. Department of Justice, which he added "must be addressed."

Pence then called for a "full accounting" about the raid from Attorney General Merrick Garland.

"Yesterday's action undermines public confidence in our system of justice and Attorney General Garland must give a full accounting to the American people as to why this action was taken and he must do so immediately," Pence's statement concluded.

Raid Reportedly Tied to Classified Documents

The FBI's raid of Mar-a-Lago on Monday was reportedly linked to the handling of classified documents.

Sources with information about the raid told several outlets including NBC News that the search was prompted by an investigation into the way certain presidential documents, including some classified material, were handled after Trump left office. Authorities told the news outlets that some of the documents may have been brought to Mar-a-Lago.

Eric Trump, one of the former president's sons, said the raid focused on documents the National Archives were in search of during a Monday night conversation he had with Fox News' Sean Hannity. The National Archives said in a statement earlier this year that White House documents had been taken to Mar-a-Lago.

Eric Trump also told Hannity that his father "didn't even have anything in the safe" that agents reportedly accessed during the raid. The former president mentioned that agents got into his safe during the raid in a statement released earlier on Monday.

House Committee to Get Trump's Taxes 'Immediately'

A Washington D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the House Ways and Means Committee can access former President Donald Trump's tax returns.

The Committee said they expect to receive the requested tax returns and audit files "immediately."

Committee Chairman Richard Neal filed a request in April 2019. Neal said the Committee was "considering legislative proposals and conducting oversight related to our Federal tax laws, including, but not limited to, the extent to
which the IRS audits and enforces the Federal tax laws against a President."

Trump fought back, claiming the request lacked a valid legislative purpose and violates the separation of powers. Thus began a lengthy legal battle.

On Tuesday, the Court said the Committee did not violate separation of powers principles or Trump's First Amendment rights and is not "facially unconstitutional," as Trump Parties argued.

"While it is possible that Congress may attempt to threaten the sitting President with an invasive request after leaving office, every President takes office knowing that he will be subject to the same laws as all other citizens upon leaving office," the opinion said. "This is a feature of our democratic republic, not a bug."

How Raid Could Help Trump Win in 2024

An ex-aide to former President Donald Trump said the FBI's Monday raid of Mar-a-Lago could help Trump in a pursuit of the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.

Alyssa Farah Griffin, who worked as the White House director of strategic communications during Trump's administration, said during a Tuesday morning appearance on CNN that she hopes the FBI's raid "goes beyond" noncompliance with laws regarding the archival of official presidential documents.

If it doesn't, the U.S. Department of Justice "just handed" Trump the GOP nomination in 2024 "and potentially the presidency," Griffin said. Though Trump has not yet announced a 2024 presidential run, he has teased a campaign launch several times since leaving office last year.

"If it's seen as some sort of massive overreach and not something incredibly serious, this is a very good day for Donald Trump," she said.

Griffin referenced the statement Trump released about the raid on Monday, saying the former president "knows how to play this up in his favor." Many top Republicans kept "aligned messaging" with Trump after news of the raid broke, she said.

"I think he's having a good day, as of now," Griffin said.

Hillary Clinton Sells 'But Her Emails' Hats

Hillary Clinton is promoting fundraising merchandise hours after the FBI raided the home of her 2016 opponent Donald Trump.

She said sales from her "But Her Emails" hats and shirts will go towards supporting Onward Together PAC.

"But Her Emails" is in reference to the FBI investigation into the private email server Clinton used when she served as U.S. Secretary of State. While the FBI strongly criticized Clinton's handling of the information, they determined it did not amount to criminal activity. Trump used this scandal to discredit Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign that he later won.

As of 10:30 a.m. Tuesday morning, the $32 dollar hats were sold out on the Onward Together website. There are still $30 T-shirts in stock.

This is not the first time Clinton has used a Trump scandal to promote her PAC.

Clinton also trolled Trump with "But Her Emails" merchandise after a report that Trump took classified and top secret documents from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago home in January 2021.

Sen. Rick Scott Compares FBI to Nazis, Dictatorships

Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida compared the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago to the Nazi, Soviet Russia and dictatorships in Latin America.

"This should scare the living daylights out of American citizens and say 'we have got to change our federal government,'" Scott told Fox Business.

"The way our federal government has gone, it's like what we thought about Gestapo, people like that, that go after people," he said. "What we thought about the Soviet Union, look at Latin America."

Scott said this raid should awaken people to say "this is not our country."

"We have got to say, 'we're a country of laws, not people who are attacking their political opponent and getting away with it,'" he said.

He added President Joe Biden is going after his potential 2024 political opponent Donald Trump in this "unprecedented" raid.

"[Attorney General] Merrick Garland targets Democrats' opponents," Scott said.

Jan. 6 Committee 'Knew Nothing' About FBI Raid

The House Select Committee investigating the events of Jan. 6 did not know about the FBI raid at Mar-a-Lago.

Committee member Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland said the he "knew nothing about" the FBI raid of former President Trump's home and the seizing of documents, "thanks to the separation of powers."

"I know only what I've been able to see on T.V.," he told MSNBC Tuesday morning. "We [the Committee] don't know if that's related to something we're working on or not and we are conducting our own independent investigation."

He added that as a private citizen, "we all have an interest in the rule of law" and "resistance to the lawlessness that seems to be always out there."

Key Differences Between Trump Raid and Watergate

One of the key passages from Trump's statement regarding the FBI raid at his home was comparing it to the Richard Nixon-era Watergate scandal.

"What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee? Here, in reverse, Democrats broke into the home of the 45th President of the United States," Trump said.

Watergate was a major political scandal which ultimately led to the resignation of Nixon before he was able to be impeached.

The scandal erupted on 17 June, 1972, after several people were arrested for breaking into the Democratic National Committee's headquarters at the Washington, D.C., located at the Watergate Office Building.

Following a two year investigation, it was found the Nixon administration was heavily involved in orchestrating the break-in for political gain, with Nixon accused of attempting to cover up his involvement in the conspiracy.

In a series of tweets Monday night, author and historian Garrett M. Graff, who recently published a book about Watergate, listed ways in which the FBI raid on Trump's home differs from the Nixon scandal.

Trump's Former Press Secretary's Old Tweets Resurface

A 2016 tweet from Trump's one-time press secretary Sarah Huckerbee Sanders suggesting those who attack FBI agents conducting investigations are "losing" has emerged following the raid at the former president's home.

Sanders posted the tweet days before the 2016 Election in response to quotes from a Guardian article which alleged there existed an unfavorable view of Hillary Clinton within the FBI after then-director James Comey decided not to indict her for using personal email servers to send classified information.

"The FBI is Trumpland," one FBI agent told The Guardian.

In response Sanders, who is running for governor in Arkansas, tweeted: "When you're attacking FBI agents because you're under criminal investigation, you're losing."

The tweet was being shared on social media while noting that Trump is now accusing the FBI of "prosecutorial misconduct" for conducting the search of his home.

"Words I usually don't say - Sarah Huckabee was right!" tweeted former Virginia congresswoman Barbara Comstock while sharing Sanders' post.

"Thank you Sarah Huckabee Sanders for being a thoughtful voice of reason here. Please shout this in Arkansas wherever you go. They will appreciate hearing it," added Yale professor Howard Forman.

Donald Trump Jr. Says Joe Biden's DOJ 'Ripping Country Apart'

Donald Trump Jr. the former president's eldest child, has accused the Department of Justice under the Biden administration of "ripping this country apart" following the raid at Mar-a-Lago.

Trump Jr. has posted a series of tweets attacking the FBI search at his father's home since Monday.

In one tweet, he accused Biden's DOJ of being "out of control" and "ripping this country apart with how they're openly targeting their political enemies."

"This is what you see happen in 3rd World Banana Republics!!!" he added.

Trump Jr. was mocked on social media for the remark, with a number of Twitter users pointing to how much the country has become divided since Trump was elected into office and how the former president had frequently called for his political opponent Hillary Clinton to be investigated.

"From the creators of 'lock her up!' comes this message," journalist Aaron Rupar wrote while sharing the tweet.

Donald Trump 'Panicked' by FBI's Mar-a-Lago Raid: Mary Trump

Mary Trump, the niece of the former president, has said that the raid at his home by agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) would have left her uncle in a "panic."

Speaking to MSNBC, Mary Trump, a frequent critic of her uncle, suggested the former president may have been told that a search at his Mar-a-Lago resort was due, but his "narcissism and sense of entitlement" meant he ignored the warnings.

"He may have been told it was coming but he could not possibly believe it was coming, because it never has," Mary Trump said.

"That's where that panic is coming from," she added. "And of course, he's also pivoting, where he always pivots, to undermining the legitimacy of any investigation into his potential wrongdoing."

When asked how Donald Trump would sleep on the night of the raid, Mary Trump replied: "Probably as well as he always does, which is to say not well."

"There's been so many things dogging him in the last how many years. He was in New York today, because he needs to sit for a deposition in another case," she said. "So it's all coming sort of fast and furious, and has been for quite some time."

Nigel Farage 'Appalled' by FBI Actions

British politician and longtime Trump ally Nigel Farage has described how he is "shocked" and "utterly appalled" by the FBI raid on the former president's Mar-a-Lago home.

Farage, one of the main campaigners for Brexit, told the GB News channel that the raid shows how Trump's opponents are "very, very scared" of him and his potential return to the White House.

"I know that there's been a witch hunt against Donald Trump ever since he was elected in 2016, Russia hoaxes, conspiracy after conspiracy, but this is truly astonishing," Farage said.

"No former president - even people like Nixon who left office in disgrace - has ever been treated like this.

"He's going to come back, his party will storm the midterms, and he's coming back to the White House in 24. To any fair minded person, they're gonna say how on earth can this be happening in 21st century America? What have we become, a banana republic?"

Farage added the suggestion that Trump would remove classified documents from the White House just to keep them at his Florida home is "so ridiculous, to be totally absurd."

Mike Turner Demands Immediate Briefing on FBI's Reasons for Raid

Republican congressman Mike Turner has called for Christopher Wray, the director of the FBI, to explain the reasoning for carrying out the search of Trump's home.

Turner, the lead Republican at the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence - which oversees the nation's intelligence agencies including the DOJ - also backed Trump's claim that the raid was "politically motivated."

There has been speculation the raid was signed as the former president posed a national security risk after allegedly removing boxes of classified documents from the White House when he left office in January 2021.

"I am exceptionally skeptical of this being anything other than politically motivated. There are serious questions about the unprecedented FBI raid reportedly seeking classified materials from former President Trump's residence," Turner tweeted.

"I am demanding an immediate briefing by FBI Director Wray regarding the national security risk that allegedly rose to the level of ordering a raid on the residence of a former President."

What FBI raid means for Trump, according to legal experts

Experts have said the FBI raid suggests Trump is at risk of being charged with a crime which carries a three year sentence and the prospect of him being banned for life from running for office again.

Speaking to Newsweek, Neama Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, said the search at Trump's home implies he is under investigation under Section 2071 of Title 18 of the United States Code, which states anyone who "conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies or destroys" official government documents must be prosecuted.

Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Joshua Ritter added that the decision from the Department of Justice to sign off for the FBI to carry out a search at the home of a former president would not have been made lightly.

"This isn't happening in some small county with a gunslinger sheriff—this is the federal government," Ritter said.

"To make this kind of an earth-shaking move in advancement of their investigation, you have to venture a guess that they have some pretty rock-solid evidence somewhere."

WATCH: Trump Releases Video After Raid

Former President Donald Trump posted a video on his Truth Social website lamenting what he claimed is American "decline" just hours after his Mar-a-Lago resort was raided by the FBI.

The video, which does not mention the raid and appears to have been made beforehand, begins with the sound of thunder and rainfall.

Trump then lists the ways he believes America is suffering under Joe Biden, saying: "We are a nation in decline. We are a failing nation. We are a nation that has the highest inflation in over 40 years."

The video, which included snippets from his speech during a rally in Arizona in July, also criticized the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan, the U.S.'s lack of energy independence, gas prices and Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine

The 3.5 minute clip has received over 68,000 likes and 29,000 'retruths', the Truth Social equivalent of a retweet.

Donald Trump's Statement on Mar-A-Lago Raid

Donald Trump broke the news of the FBI raid at his Mar-a-Lago resort, issuing a statement on Monday describing how his home was "under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group" of federal agents.

Trump also accused the raid of being "prosecutorial misconduct," a "weaponization" of the Justice System, and an "attack by Radical Left Democrats" who do not want him to run for president again in 2024.

"Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before," Trump said. "They even broke into my safe!

"What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee? Here, in reverse, Democrats broke into the home of the 45th President of the United States."

Trump added the "political persecution" against him has been going on for years following the Russia collusion investigation and both his impeachment trials.

"It is political targeting at the highest level!," Trump added. "The lawlessness, political persecution, and Witch Hunt must be exposed and stopped."

Kevin McCarthy Threatens DOJ Probe if GOP Win Midterms

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has vowed to launch an investigation into the Department of Justice if Republicans gain control of the House in the November midterms.

In a statement posted on Twitter just hours after the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago, he said that the "Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization."

He added: "When Republicans take back the House, we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned.

The tweet went viral, receiving over 12,000 retweets and 6,000 likes.

However, he was criticized by Democratic House Representative Ted Lieu, who tweeted: "You say you've "seen enough."

"Did you see the classified and unclassified documents that the FBI seized at Mar-a-Lago? No. So you have no idea what you are talking about. Stop making stuff up. You are the leader of the minority party. Do better."

How Republicans Reacted to FBI Raid

Prominent Republicans were quick to speak out after the raid on Mar-a-Lago with many condemning the move.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis said that the raid is "another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime's political opponents" in a post on Twitter.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott described the move as "next-level Nixonian" as he accused the Joe Biden administration of using the "levers of government" to Target trump.

While Alaska's Governor Mike Dunleavy called it "concerning to all of us."

Pro-Trump Protesters Descend on Mar-a-Lago

Dozens of Trump supporters rallied outside Mar-a-Lago after the former president's resort was raided by the FBI.

The protesters gathered outside the property and by a bridge leading into Palm Beach, where Mar-a-Lago is situated, with other Trump supporters drove around the area in cars and trucks adorned with American flags.

One protester had a placard reading "Fake News is CNN" while a group played God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood.

Flags reading "Florida For Trump," "Trump 2024" and "Biden Is Not My President" were also waved .

The demonstration was peaceful, but police did speak to a counter-protester who had a sign calling Trump an "a**hole".

There was a significant police presence, but there have been no reports of any arrests being made.

Michael Cohen Reacts to FBI Raid

Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former attorney who has since fallen out with his old boss, Tweeted a photo of himself grinning widely and giving a thumbs up after news of the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago broke.

Alongside the image he wrote: "The look on your face when you learn that the @fbi just raided Mar-a-Lardo and #TFG is s***ting a brick!!!#KarmaBoomerang."

The Former Guy (TFG) is a term used by some Trump critics to describe the former president.

Cohen was Trump's personal attorney between 2006 and 2018, and deputy finance chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2017-18.

In August 2018 Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations, bank fraud and tax fraud following information uncovered by special prosecutor Robert Mueller's investigation into the 2016 presidential election.

He was sent to prison, though released early due to the coronavirus pandemic and held under house arrest.