The Justice Department May Not Be Done With Donald Trump Just Yet
As Sky News noted, when the FBI raided Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in August 2022, the whole world was shocked, whether they supported him or not. Although Trump was already facing three high-profile criminal investigations at the time, the raid had nothing to do with any of them. Rather, officials learned that the former president took several boxes full of documents home to Florida with him after his term ended, rather than handing them over as required.
The National Archives and Records Administration, which handles the preservation of government and historical records, demanded the return of the boxes — which included classified information that likely carries a high security risk — before passing the case over to the Department of Justice to ascertain whether Trump had violated federal law.
Per The Guardian, the former "Apprentice" host didn't take the raid well, branding the FBI "political monsters" at a rally. The search ultimately recovered 33 boxes with over 100 classified documents. Trump had already returned 200 other classified records following multiple requests, but that was only after he and his attorneys stymied the investigation at every turn, which ultimately forced the FBI to act.
Although sources maintain that Trump will get away with his reported crimes, particularly since he's evaded capture until now, there's reason to believe he hasn't escaped the DOJ just yet.
The DOJ believes Donald Trump may not have handed over all the documents in his possession
Former President Donald Trump isn't off the hook just yet. The New York Times reports that the DOJ has informed Trump's lawyers that they don't believe he's turned over everything he took from the White House. Their head of counterintelligence, Jay Bratt, was in touch over the past few weeks, which is the clearest signal yet that they reckon there's more to be uncovered, even after the FBI raid of Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence.
Trump was obligated to give everything back to the National Archives at the end of his tenure. His refusal to cooperate puts the department in a difficult position because it now must decide whether or not to pursue the case and how, keeping in mind the upcoming November elections.
In an interview with Fox News, the controversial politician suggested he was waiting until after they were done to confirm his plans for a 2024 presidential bid. "I am certainly thinking about it and we'll see," Trump said at the time. "I think a lot of people will be very happy, frankly, with the decision, and probably will announce that after the midterms."
The DOJ could issue a subpoena or a search warrant or even force Trump to confirm under oath that he's handed everything over. It could simply give up on him. Whatever the department decides, unfortunately, time isn't on its side.