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

The court on Friday released the warrant and inventory from the search.

Search documents were released by the court on Friday after the FBI executed an unprecedented raid on former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida on Monday. The FBI was searching for evidence that sources told ABC News is tied to his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

It's believed to be the first search by the federal agency of the residence of a current or former U.S. president. Trump and other Republicans have sharply criticized the raid as a partisan attack and have demanded an explanation. Trump denies wrongdoing.


Lawmakers request 'damage assessment' of Mar-a-Lago documents

Two top House lawmakers sent a three-page letter Saturday to the director of national intelligence asking for an "immediate review and damage assessment" to national security stemming from reports that "highly classified documents" were recovered from Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate.

Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, and Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the House Oversight Committee, wrote to National Intelligence Director Avril Haines that "Trump's conduct has potentially put our national security at grave risk" and that the issue "demands a full review."

Referring to Washington Post reporting that the FBI was seeking in part material "relating to nuclear weapons," they said, "It is hard to overstate the national security danger that could emanate from the reckless decision to remove and retain this material."

They also asked for a classified briefing "as soon as possible."

-ABC News' Justin Gomez


Trump lawyer said in June all classified documents were turned over: Sources

A lawyer for Trump signed a statement in June that all classified documents at Mar-a-Lago had been turned over to federal investigators, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

The signed declaration came following the June visit by federal agents in search of additional materials that Trump was believed to have failed to turn over to the National Archives. During that visit, as ABC News has previously reported, Trump stopped by and greeted the agents. Two lawyers representing Trump were present during that visit, sources have said.

There was also a second subpoena that Trump complied with seeking security footage of the Mar-a-Lago club towards the end of June, sources told ABC News.

The New York Times was the first to report these details.

The Justice Department declined to comment.

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

-ABC News' John Santucci, Katherine Faulders and Alexander Mallin


Classified question may not matter for 2 of 3 statutes: ABC News chief legal analyst

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.



Read the redacted warrant, related papers


DOJ investigates potential violation of at least 3 separate criminal statutes

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