In a surprising turn of events, four documents with classification markings were found in Donald Trump’s private quarters at Mar-a-Lago, months after federal agents had conducted a comprehensive search of the property. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell expressed disbelief over the discovery, questioning how the former president could have missed these documents. The box, containing six pages with classification markings, was found in a closet in Trump’s office, and another folder marked “Classified Evening Summary” was found in his bedroom. Trump’s legal team turned over the box in January 2023 after being alerted to its existence in December 2022.
Judge Howell, in a March 2023 opinion, suggested there was sufficient evidence indicating Trump may have willfully attempted to conceal documents from the FBI. This led to the prosecution’s request to question Trump’s lawyer under the crime-fraud exception to attorney-client privilege. Additionally, 88 documents were ordered to be handed over, piercing the attorney-client privilege due to the alleged criminal scheme. The unsealing of these documents revealed that FBI agents had been authorized to use deadly force during the Mar-a-Lago raid, a standard protocol that Trump and his supporters quickly politicized. Despite ongoing legal challenges and Trump’s not guilty plea, the trial is postponed and unlikely to begin before the November presidential election.
