FBI collects top-secret docs from Mar-a-Lago, warrant cites Espionage Act

The Trump team has said that the documents seized from Mar-a-Lago in this week's FBI raid were declassified. But whether or not they were classified may not matter for two of the criminal statutes cited in the warrant, according to ABC News chief legal analyst Dan Abrams.

"As I look at these statutes, I'm focused less on the question that the Trump team has been talking about, which is the classification of the documents -- which is obviously very important in a macro picture -- but in a strictly legal sense, [for] two of these three statutes, that may not even be the critical question," Abrams told ABC's David Muir in a special report on Friday following the release of the search warrant.

One of the statutes, 18 USC 1519, relates to the destruction, alteration or falsification of records.

"That is the statute I am singularly most interested in here," Abrams said.

The search of the Mar-a-Lago estate was for classified documents, according to the warrant.

In a statement, Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich described the FBI operation at Mar-a-Lago as a "botched raid" and called the search "outrageous."

"The Biden administration is in obvious damage control after their botched raid where they seized the President’s picture books, a 'hand written note,' and declassified documents," Budowich said in a statement. "This raid of President Trump's home was not just unprecedented, but unnecessary -- and now they are leaking lies and innuendos to try to explain away the weaponization of government against their dominant political opponent."

Despite Budowich's statement, it has not been confirmed whether any of the seized documents were declassified.

A judge has released redacted copies of the warrant and inventory from the search executed at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago property. The government requested the unsealing on Thursday.

The filing, which includes two attachments ("Attachment A" and "Attachment B"), indicates that the Justice Department, in its search of the Palm Beach, Florida, estate, is investigating potential violation of at least three separate criminal statutes including a statute under the Espionage Act.

Attachment B states that the property to be seized by agents includes "all physical documents and records constituting evidence, contraband, fruits of crime or other items illegally possessed" in violation of 18 USC 793, a statute under the Espionage Act involving the gathering, transmitting or loss of defense information; 18 USC 2071, which involves any federal government employee who willfully and unlawfully conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates, falsifies or destroys public records; and 18 USC 1519, obstruction of justice.

Under the receipt showing property that was seized from Trump's estate, agents note they recovered 11 sets of documents of various classifications ranging from confidential to top secret and sensitive compartmented information.

The receipt identifies one set referring to "various classified/TS/SCI documents," four sets of top secret documents, three sets of secret documents and three sets of documents described as confidential. It appears that there were 27 boxes taken.

Other items included in the receipt include one labeled "Info re: President of France," an executive grant of clemency for Trump ally Roger Stone, binders of photos, a "potential presidential record" and a leather-bound box of documents.

Trump spokesman Taylor Budowich said, "The Biden administration is in obvious damage control after their botched raid where they seized the President’s picture books, a 'hand written note,' and declassified documents. This raid of President Trump's home was not just unprecedented, but unnecessary -- and now they are leaking lies and innuendos to try to explain away the weaponization of government against their dominant political opponent."

ABC News' John Santucci, Alex Mallin and Katherine Faulders