Newly declassified emails show FBI officials did not believe they had established probable cause to search President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in 2022, but proceeded after pressure from the Justice Department. The internal messages, exchanged in the months leading up to the August raid, reflect sustained disagreement between the FBI and DOJ over whether a search should move forward.
In one email, a senior FBI official wrote that “very little has been developed related to who might be culpable for mishandling the documents,” noting that information suggesting additional boxes at Mar-a-Lago was based on a single source, uncorroborated, and potentially outdated.
FBI agents urged less intrusive alternatives, arguing that a conversation with Trump’s attorneys could resolve the matter and warning a raid would be “counterproductive.” Weeks later, another agent complained that no new facts had emerged, questioning how long the bureau should continue pursuing a warrant without additional evidence.
One message stated the FBI’s Washington Field Office “did not believe… that we have established probable cause,” while DOJ pushed for a broad search covering the residence, office, and storage areas. The FBI continued to recommend narrower options to recover any sensitive materials.
Days before the search, an agent described plans to conduct the warrant in a “professional, low key manner,” but quoted then–Deputy Assistant Attorney General George Toscas as saying he “frankly doesn’t give a damn about the optics,” warning DOJ contact with Trump’s attorneys would likely escalate tensions.
The FBI ultimately executed the search warrant on Aug. 8, 2022, as part of the investigation into Trump’s handling of government records after leaving the White House.
