Trump Mar-a-lago scandal

Image+courtesy+of+National+Review

Image courtesy of National Review

Ben Brewer, Reporter

   Former United States President, Donald Trump contained some documents that belonged to the US in his house located in Mar-a-lago. After the FBI tried to persuade Trump, he refused to give up the documents. Trump was breaking the rule in which a former president is required to return all documents and items belonging to the US government in their possession before leaving office permanently. Trump and all of his assistants denied having the documents, therefore the FBI conducted a search of his property.

   When Trump left office, there were important boxes that were supposed to be sent to the National archives; instead, they were shipped to his house in Mar-a-lago. Trump and his associates were not willing to admit that they had possession of the missing documents. 

   The FBI stayed consistent and kept asking, only to receive the same answer from Trump. According to The Washington Post, an archives director arrived at Trump’s house to collect 15 boxes of documents including mementos and even the letter that Obama had left for Trump when he was inaugurated into office. 

   After opening the 15 boxes of records, they found over 100 classified documents and 12,000 unclassified documents. Some of these documents were under the highest level of classification for the US government. 

   After a few months of reviewing documents, on Aug. 5, 2022, a search warrant was issued for Trump’s Mar-a-lago residence. On Aug. 8, his house was searched by unarmed FBI agents. According to The Washington Post, they found over two dozen boxes of documents, 11 classified documents, some were top secret documents, some that were labeled “Return to Staff Secretary/Military Aide.” Along with 20 gifts or articles of clothing, Sophomore John Openshaw said, “It was a violation of his privacy.”