Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate raided by FBI agents, sources confirm
Multiple sources confirm to ABC News that former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate was raided by FBI agents on Monday.
The sources told ABC News that the search began at around 10 a.m.
The former president put out a statement Monday evening saying federal investigators were there and that they had even gotten into his safe.
Trump was not there at the time of the search.
Sources tell ABC News that the search of Mar-a-Lago was related to the 15 boxes of documents that Trump took to Mar-a-Lago when he departed the White House -- some of which the National Archives has said were marked classified.
In January, Trump handed over the documents to the National Archives, and attorneys for Trump said they were searching for any more records they may have.
Law enforcement sources told ABC News the FBI activities at Trump's compound are court-authorized.
The FBI and Justice Department declined to comment.
Sources said Monday was not the first time that federal agents visited Trump's Florida home. In the spring, according to these sources, a small team of agents went to Mar-a-Lago inquiring about the documents he took with him. The agents went through and reviewed some documents with Trump's attorneys present; Trump himself was also present.
Sources close to Trump said his legal team had some back-and-forth communications then with federal investigators, one even calling the dialogue “cordial” in nature.
A senior official briefed on Monday's events told ABC News that the Secret Service was notified by the FBI a short time before agents arrived that they would be coming. The Secret Service validated the search warrant and facilitated entry into the residence, in accordance with a court order, the official said. Secret Service agents were not involved in the search.
The Secret Service declined to comment. A Biden White House official confirmed to ABC News that they received no advanced notice of the FBI operation.
Following Monday's raid, a growing list of Republicans tweeted, with some attacking the Justice Department and the FBI, including House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy.
He tweeted a statement that read, in part, "The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization."
Late Tuesday, Trump appeared at a pre-scheduled tele-rally with Sarah Palin ahead of her special House election in Alaska next week. He didn’t specifically mention the raid but said: "Another day in paradise. This is a strange day."
ABC News' Chris Donovan, Sarah Kolinovsky, Josh Margolin and Olivia Rubin contributed to this report.
