President Trump has reclaimed items seized during the 2022 FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate after they were returned by the Department of Justice.
On Friday, Trump staff members were seen loading boxes onto Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews as they were returned to his possession.
“The Department of Justice has just returned the boxes that Deranged Jack Smith made such a big deal about. They are being brought down to Florida and will someday be part of the Trump Presidential Library,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “Justice finally won out. I did absolutely nothing wrong. This was merely an attack on a political opponent that, obviously, did not work well. Justice in our Country will now be restored.”
The FBI had seized 33 boxes of documents from Mar-a-Lago in August 2022, alleging they contained classified materials and citing “probable cause” of obstruction. Smith’s investigation led to 40 felony counts against Trump, including charges related to the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice. Trump has appropriately dismissed the case as a “scam.”
Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, said Friday that many of the items seized were personal belongings, including photos and newspaper clippings. She criticized the FBI for searching the closets of Trump’s wife, Melania, and son, Barron, calling it an abuse of power.
“I personally actually carried some of the boxes with the team to get them back to where they belong, which is where they were unlawfully taken from, and that is Florida,” Habba said. “So, it is truly an honor and full circle to be on this trip. The boxes are going back, and frankly, this was a hoax, as we knew. Justice is going to be restored.”
