U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland addressed recent claims made by former President Donald Trump regarding the FBI’s search of his Florida club in 2022. Garland emphasized that Trump’s assertions suggesting the FBI was authorized to use lethal force during the search are unfounded and potentially harmful.
During a press conference, Garland clarified that Trump and his associates were misinterpreting the “standard operations plan” governing the use of lethal force by law enforcement while executing warrants. He stressed that such plans strictly limit the circumstances under which agents can resort to deadly force and only allow it when there is an immediate threat to an officer or another individual. Notably, Trump was not present during the search of his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The FBI conducted the search in August 2022 to retrieve classified material that Trump had retained after leaving office. This action led to the discovery of records contributing to one of the four criminal prosecutions Trump currently faces. Despite Trump’s absence during the search, he has falsely claimed, through fundraising messages, that the FBI was authorized to attempt an assassination.
Garland said that such claims are baseless and dangerous. He noted that similar use-of-force policies were in place during consensual searches of President Joe Biden’s homes as part of a separate investigation into classified documents. Garland stressed that these policies are routine and necessary for ensuring the safety of both law enforcement officers and individuals involved.
The controversy surrounding the search intensified with the recent release of a policy statement drafted by the FBI, which clarified the limited circumstances under which lethal force can be used. This document was among the hundreds of pages of records unsealed in the criminal case against Trump, who has pleaded not guilty to unlawfully retaining sensitive government documents.
Trump’s defense team is seeking to suppress the evidence seized during the search, arguing that it violated his rights under the U.S. Constitution. Prosecutors have stated that FBI agents seized approximately 100 classified documents from Mar-a-Lago after Trump refused government demands to return them.
