On Friday, the Justice Department complied with a judge’s order by releasing a redacted version of the affidavit leading to the raid on 45th President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
The heavily redacted affidavit claims that there were 184 classified documents at the Trump residence after a review of the 15 boxes previously recovered by the National Archives. It claims that 25 of those documents contained top secret information.
According to The Hill:
Entirely redacted is a provision explaining why the government believed additional “classified [national defense information]” would be found on the premises.
In a separate filing explaining the rationale behind its redactions, DOJ said it had to protect “a broad range of civilian witnesses,” warning they would likely face intimidation.
The same federal magistrate judge who approved the search ordered DOJ to release the affidavit that convinced him to approve the warrant. Judge Bruce Reinhart concluded Thursday that proposed redactions from DOJ were narrow enough to allow for public disclosure while protecting their ongoing investigation.
Read it in full:
Trump responded via Truth Social, writing:
Affidavit heavily redacted!!! Nothing mentioned on “Nuclear,” a total public relations subterfuge by the FBI & DOJ, or our close working relationship regarding document turnover – WE GAVE THEM MUCH. Judge Bruce Reinhart should NEVER have allowed the Break-In of my home. He recused himself two months ago from one of my cases based on his animosity and hatred of your favorite President, me. What changed? Why hasn’t he recused himself on this case? Obama must be very proud of him right now!
