Trump Lawyer Told DOJ No Classified Docs Were at Mar-a-Lago Before FBI Search: Reports

Mar. 15, 2025

Donald Trump.Photo: Brandon Bell/GettyLast week’sFBI searchatDonald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home reportedly came after one of his lawyers assured the Department of Justice that no such documents were in his possession.According to reports fromCNNandThe New York Times, the unidentified attorney swore in a signed letter to the DOJ in June that there were no more documents of interest at the Palm Beach, Fla. resort, despite the fact that the searchreturned 11 sets of classified materials.The reports underscore questions of how many people have legal culpability in the ongoing investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and suspected violation of theEspionage Act.Meanwhile, Sen.Amy Klobucharexplained the severity of mishandling such materials as she spoke to Andrea Mitchell on Sunday’sMeet the Press, especially considering that some of the documents were marked as “top secret/SCI,” one of the highest levels of classification.“As a senator, I know when I look at the classified documents, I’ve got to go in a special room, Andrea. I can’t even wear my Fitbit. You can’t bring staff with you,” she said. “And that’s because these documents not only contain our nation’s top secrets but because other countries that will do us harm, do harm to our own citizens, we don’t want them to get a hold of them in any way, take photos of them, anything.Mar-a-Lago Club.Joe Raedle/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Because they can actually reverse engineer them and figure out who the sources are, what the confidential information is. That’s why it is so important that these documents remain in safe locations. And Mar-a-Lago, where you can check out croquet sets and tennis rackets and golf clubs, that’s not one of them,” Klobuchar, 62, added.The FBI’ssearch warrantrevealed that the investigation into the former president, 76, was in regards to the “removal or destruction of records, obstruction of an investigation, and violating the Espionage Act,” according to Politico.A source previously toldThe Washington Postthat the investigation was in regard to sensitive materials, including thosepertaining to nuclear weapons.The specifics of those documents and whether any were recovered remains unknown, although the report emphasized the potential danger of such classified information falling into the wrong hands.Donald Trump.James Devaney/GC ImagesA source with knowledge of the subpoena told PEOPLE, “I can’t tell you anything about nuclear documents. But this is why it’s important for the subpoena to be made public. The public needs to know what is or is not in that subpoena.“Although Attorney GeneralMerrick Garlandsaid Thursday that the Department of Justice did not intend to publicize the investigation out of respect for Trump’s right to privacy, Garland confirmed that he personallyapproved the decision to seek a search warrantas a last resort in their investigation.He also noted that Trump’s very public statement in response to the search has prompted the DOJ to file a motion in a Florida court to unseal the search warrant and property receipt, making those details available to the public.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.Andrew Harnik/AP/Bloomberg via Getty"The public’s clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing,” the motion reads, according toThe Post. “That said, the former president should have an opportunity to respond to this motion and lodge objections, including with regards to any ‘legitimate privacy interests’ or the potential for other ‘injury’ if these materials are made public.“Garland’s speech came asThe Wall Street JournalandNewsweekreported that the investigationstemmed from an informant.RELATED VIDEO: Trump Suspected of Violating Espionage Act, According to Mar-a-Lago Search WarrantAfter FBI agents and a senior Justice Department national security supervisor reportedly visited Mar-a-Lago in early June in regards to boxes of classified documents sitting in the property’s basement, officials followed up with Trump’s lawyer, with instructions to install a stronger lock on the storage room door.Trump reportedly assured officials that he had no more classified materials, but weeks later, “someone familiar with the stored papers told investigators there may be still more classified documents at the private club.”

Donald Trump.Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty

Last week’sFBI searchatDonald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home reportedly came after one of his lawyers assured the Department of Justice that no such documents were in his possession.According to reports fromCNNandThe New York Times, the unidentified attorney swore in a signed letter to the DOJ in June that there were no more documents of interest at the Palm Beach, Fla. resort, despite the fact that the searchreturned 11 sets of classified materials.The reports underscore questions of how many people have legal culpability in the ongoing investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and suspected violation of theEspionage Act.Meanwhile, Sen.Amy Klobucharexplained the severity of mishandling such materials as she spoke to Andrea Mitchell on Sunday’sMeet the Press, especially considering that some of the documents were marked as “top secret/SCI,” one of the highest levels of classification.“As a senator, I know when I look at the classified documents, I’ve got to go in a special room, Andrea. I can’t even wear my Fitbit. You can’t bring staff with you,” she said. “And that’s because these documents not only contain our nation’s top secrets but because other countries that will do us harm, do harm to our own citizens, we don’t want them to get a hold of them in any way, take photos of them, anything.Mar-a-Lago Club.Joe Raedle/GettyNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Because they can actually reverse engineer them and figure out who the sources are, what the confidential information is. That’s why it is so important that these documents remain in safe locations. And Mar-a-Lago, where you can check out croquet sets and tennis rackets and golf clubs, that’s not one of them,” Klobuchar, 62, added.The FBI’ssearch warrantrevealed that the investigation into the former president, 76, was in regards to the “removal or destruction of records, obstruction of an investigation, and violating the Espionage Act,” according to Politico.A source previously toldThe Washington Postthat the investigation was in regard to sensitive materials, including thosepertaining to nuclear weapons.The specifics of those documents and whether any were recovered remains unknown, although the report emphasized the potential danger of such classified information falling into the wrong hands.Donald Trump.James Devaney/GC ImagesA source with knowledge of the subpoena told PEOPLE, “I can’t tell you anything about nuclear documents. But this is why it’s important for the subpoena to be made public. The public needs to know what is or is not in that subpoena.“Although Attorney GeneralMerrick Garlandsaid Thursday that the Department of Justice did not intend to publicize the investigation out of respect for Trump’s right to privacy, Garland confirmed that he personallyapproved the decision to seek a search warrantas a last resort in their investigation.He also noted that Trump’s very public statement in response to the search has prompted the DOJ to file a motion in a Florida court to unseal the search warrant and property receipt, making those details available to the public.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.Andrew Harnik/AP/Bloomberg via Getty"The public’s clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing,” the motion reads, according toThe Post. “That said, the former president should have an opportunity to respond to this motion and lodge objections, including with regards to any ‘legitimate privacy interests’ or the potential for other ‘injury’ if these materials are made public.“Garland’s speech came asThe Wall Street JournalandNewsweekreported that the investigationstemmed from an informant.RELATED VIDEO: Trump Suspected of Violating Espionage Act, According to Mar-a-Lago Search WarrantAfter FBI agents and a senior Justice Department national security supervisor reportedly visited Mar-a-Lago in early June in regards to boxes of classified documents sitting in the property’s basement, officials followed up with Trump’s lawyer, with instructions to install a stronger lock on the storage room door.Trump reportedly assured officials that he had no more classified materials, but weeks later, “someone familiar with the stored papers told investigators there may be still more classified documents at the private club.”

Last week’sFBI searchatDonald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home reportedly came after one of his lawyers assured the Department of Justice that no such documents were in his possession.

According to reports fromCNNandThe New York Times, the unidentified attorney swore in a signed letter to the DOJ in June that there were no more documents of interest at the Palm Beach, Fla. resort, despite the fact that the searchreturned 11 sets of classified materials.

The reports underscore questions of how many people have legal culpability in the ongoing investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and suspected violation of theEspionage Act.

Meanwhile, Sen.Amy Klobucharexplained the severity of mishandling such materials as she spoke to Andrea Mitchell on Sunday’sMeet the Press, especially considering that some of the documents were marked as “top secret/SCI,” one of the highest levels of classification.

“As a senator, I know when I look at the classified documents, I’ve got to go in a special room, Andrea. I can’t even wear my Fitbit. You can’t bring staff with you,” she said. “And that’s because these documents not only contain our nation’s top secrets but because other countries that will do us harm, do harm to our own citizens, we don’t want them to get a hold of them in any way, take photos of them, anything.

Mar-a-Lago Club.Joe Raedle/Getty

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“Because they can actually reverse engineer them and figure out who the sources are, what the confidential information is. That’s why it is so important that these documents remain in safe locations. And Mar-a-Lago, where you can check out croquet sets and tennis rackets and golf clubs, that’s not one of them,” Klobuchar, 62, added.

The FBI’ssearch warrantrevealed that the investigation into the former president, 76, was in regards to the “removal or destruction of records, obstruction of an investigation, and violating the Espionage Act,” according to Politico.

A source previously toldThe Washington Postthat the investigation was in regard to sensitive materials, including thosepertaining to nuclear weapons.

The specifics of those documents and whether any were recovered remains unknown, although the report emphasized the potential danger of such classified information falling into the wrong hands.

Donald Trump.James Devaney/GC Images

A source with knowledge of the subpoena told PEOPLE, “I can’t tell you anything about nuclear documents. But this is why it’s important for the subpoena to be made public. The public needs to know what is or is not in that subpoena.”

Although Attorney GeneralMerrick Garlandsaid Thursday that the Department of Justice did not intend to publicize the investigation out of respect for Trump’s right to privacy, Garland confirmed that he personallyapproved the decision to seek a search warrantas a last resort in their investigation.

He also noted that Trump’s very public statement in response to the search has prompted the DOJ to file a motion in a Florida court to unseal the search warrant and property receipt, making those details available to the public.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland.Andrew Harnik/AP/Bloomberg via Getty

“The public’s clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing,” the motion reads, according toThe Post. “That said, the former president should have an opportunity to respond to this motion and lodge objections, including with regards to any ‘legitimate privacy interests’ or the potential for other ‘injury’ if these materials are made public.”

Garland’s speech came asThe Wall Street JournalandNewsweekreported that the investigationstemmed from an informant.

RELATED VIDEO: Trump Suspected of Violating Espionage Act, According to Mar-a-Lago Search Warrant

After FBI agents and a senior Justice Department national security supervisor reportedly visited Mar-a-Lago in early June in regards to boxes of classified documents sitting in the property’s basement, officials followed up with Trump’s lawyer, with instructions to install a stronger lock on the storage room door.

Trump reportedly assured officials that he had no more classified materials, but weeks later, “someone familiar with the stored papers told investigators there may be still more classified documents at the private club.”

source: people.com