Detailed list of what FBI took from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago office, storage is unsealed
Federal agents pulled more than two dozen documents marked “CONFIDENTIAL,” “SECRET,” and “TOP-SECRET” from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago office, along with empty folders with banners reading “CLASSIFIED,” government photos and scores of magazines and other media clippings, according to a newly unsealed document filed in federal court.
The “detailed property inventory” of items taken by federal agents on Aug. 8, filed under order of U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, further details the documents that the FBI removed from Trump’s Palm Beach residence and club.
The Department of Justice had previously released a vague and partially redacted property receipt following the execution of a search warrant at Trump’s estate. But the more detailed list unsealed Friday by Cannon showed that classified and top-secret documents were kept among media clippings, items of clothing, books and photographs. It also showed specifically what agents took from Trump’s office.
Among the seven “items” seized from Trump’s office, according to the court document:
▪ 43 empty folders marked “CLASSIFIED”
▪ 28 empty folders marked “Return to Staff Secretary/Miliary[sic] Aide”
▪ 7 documents with “TOP SECRET” classification markings
▪ 17 documents with “SECRET” classification markings
▪ 3 documents with “CONFIDENTIAL” classification markings
▪ 125 magazines and media clippings
▪ More than 1,400 documents and photos without classification
A collection of 26 other items seized from a storage area at Mar-a-Lago included additional empty folders, items of clothing, books and scores more magazines and media clippings.
One box taken from the storage area, listed as Item #13, included 62 magazines and press clippings, two documents marked “CONFIDENTIAL,” one document marked “TOP SECRET,” one “article of clothing/gift item” and 708 additional documents or photos that lacked a classification.
The FBI obtained a search warrant and seized the documents following months of back-and-forth between the National Archives and Records Administration, the Department of Justice and Trump’s legal team over his possession of government records they said should have been returned to the federal government following his exit from the White House in January 2021.
After leaving office, Trump and his legal team eventually turned over 15 boxes to the National Archives, and later provided another batch of documents in June to the Department of Justice after accepting a grand jury subpoena. But the Department of Justice says that even after the former president’s attorneys represented that they’d turned everything over that the government sought, Trump continued to hold onto documents that belonged to the federal government, including a number of sensitive documents pertaining to national security.
Trump’s attorneys have called the government’s account of efforts to retrieve the records “misleading or incomplete,” and have said the Department of Justice has mischaracterized a June 3 meeting at Mar-a-Lago.
About two weeks after the raid on Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s attorneys filed a motion in court seeking to have Cannon appoint a “special master” to take custody of the seized documents. If appointed, the special master would act as a neutral party to review the items and determine whether and how many of the items were executive or attorney-client privileged — and whether any ought to be returned to Trump.
Trump’s attorneys and lawyers for the Department of Justice were in court in West Palm Beach Thursday to argue the issue. Cannon has not yet ruled on that request.
This story was originally published September 2, 2022 at 12:21 PM.