The strategy of American justice is clear: do not reveal too much of its game and give marbles to Donald Trump’s camp. The US Department of Justice thus opposed on Monday the publication of a court document supposed to give the reasons which prompted federal investigators to carry out an unprecedented search at the home of former President Donald Trump last week. The federal police operation at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida – a first for an ex-president – has caused a political storm, with Mr Trump and his supporters denouncing a “witch hunt”.
Several organizations, including the media, had asked a judge to release a court document in which investigators usually explain why the search was necessary. The Ministry of Justice assured Monday that such a publication “would irreparably harm the ongoing criminal investigation”, according to a court document.
Friday, at the request of prosecutors this time, a judge had made public the warrant authorizing the search and a list of the documents seized.
This publication would “compromise” the investigation
But, unlike the first, the document whose publication this time was requested contains “very sensitive information on witnesses”, techniques used by the police and “extremely important facts about the investigation”, estimated the ministry. Its publication could reveal the strategy of the investigators and “compromising (the success) of the next steps of the investigation”, he added.
VIDEO. “They even broke into my safe!” “: the house of Donald Trump raided by the FBI
According to the documents revealed on Friday, justice suspects the Republican of having violated an American law on espionage which very strictly regulates the possession of confidential documents. The list of items seized mentions numerous documents classified as “top secret”. Donald Trump, tipped to relaunch in the race for the White House for 2024, assured that these documents had been declassified.
Monday, indicating that he saw his passports seized during the search, the Republican said he was the victim of an “attack against a political opponent like we have never seen in our country”.