Former President Donald Trump's legal team said Friday it did not object to the Department of Justice releasing the search warrant officials used to seize documents at his Florida residence on Monday.
The judge in the case had given Trump and his lawyers until 3 p.m. ET Friday to raise any objections to unsealing the warrant.
The filing came after Trump issued a statement late Thursday saying he did not object to the release. Trump's announcement came hours after Attorney General Merrick Garland said he requested a judge to unseal the search warrant. Generally, search warrants are sealed during ongoing investigations.
But Garland argued that because Trump had confirmed the search publicly and the immense public interest in the case, the public should examine the search warrant. Unsealing the search warrant could allow the public to see why the Federal Bureau of Investigations wanted to go into Trump's residence and what investigators were looking for at Mar-a-Lago.
To obtain a search warrant, investigators must display probable cause that they would get evidence of a crime.
"I have made clear that the Department of Justice will speak through its court filings and its works," Garland said.
The Associated Pressreported that the DOJ is investigating whether Trump took classified documents after leaving office. The Washington Post reported the FBI looked for nuclear documents.
The FBI and DOJ have faced immense criticism from Republicans for seeking the search warrant. Garland said he personally signed off on the search warrant, which was executed on Monday. Trump has rallied Republican allies after being served with the warrant.
Trump said that the FBI opened his personal safe during the search.
"Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the unAmerican, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents, even though they have been drawn up by radical left Democrats and possible future political opponents, who have a strong and powerful vested interest in attacking me, much as they have done for the last six years," Trump wrote.
Garland pushed back on criticism against officials.
"I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked," he said. "The men and women of the FBI and the Justice Department are dedicated, patriotic public servants. Every day, they protect the American people from violent crime, terrorism and other threats to their safety while safeguarding our civil rights. They do so at great personal sacrifice and risk to themselves."
Although Garland was appointed by current President Joe Biden, the head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, was appointed by Trump.
