Trump’s team told justice that classified documents have already been handed over in Mar-a-Lago | Abroad

One of his lawyers signed a statement in early June saying everything had been handed over. The statement came after a visit by a senior Justice Department official to Mar-a-Lago in Florida, the New York Times reported, citing four sources. There he spoke with two of Trump’s lawyers about handing over classified documents that the former president had brought from the White House.

The senior official had also left there with secret documents. According to the newspaper, the attorney’s statement shows that the Trump team may not have always been open and honest with the justice system. During the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago earlier this week, several documents classified as “top secret” were found.

The US newspaper says the statement is also an indication of why Trump obstructed justice, as described in the search warrant. The document also sheds new light on the decision to raid the former president’s residence, after months of talks with Trump’s team.

A Trump spokesman criticized the FBI’s action, calling it an “unprecedented and unnecessary raid.” He also says it’s part of a “democratic witch hunt” against Trump. The former president said Friday that all documents in Mar-a-Lago are no longer classified, because they have already been released.