With a brief statement on Thursday, Attorney General Merrick Garland broke the Department of Justice's (DOJ) silence following Monday's search of former president Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida. The nation's top prosecutor confirmed that he personally signed-off on the decision to send agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) to Trump's Palm Beach resort. Garland then announced that the Justice Department had applied to unseal the search warrant.
"The public's clear and powerful interest in understanding what occurred under these circumstances weighs heavily in favor of unsealing," the DOJ's motion reads.
Acknowledging that he "personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant," Garland said the department first pursued "less intrusive" means to retrieve the materials. According to NBC News, Trump received a federal grand jury subpoena for documents that Trump's legal team discussed with the Justice Department months before the FBI searched his Mar-a-Lago home.
Garland: I have made clear the DOJ will speak through its court filings and it’s work. Just now the DOJ has filed a motion to unseal a search warrant and a property receipt… pic.twitter.com/BOuVP1MgdS
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 11, 2022
Trump has until August 12 to respond to the government's motion.
Less than five minutes in length, Garland's statement set off a barrage of rage from right-wing pundits, many of whom have clamored for the Justice Department to speak and release the search warrant.
To the AG & FBI Dir:
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) August 9, 2022
RELEASE THE WARRANT NOW.
The American people deserve to see it. NOW.
And, as even Cuomo acknowledges, “it MUST be more than a search for inconsequential archives,” or it will be obvious that this is nothing more than a blatant political persecution. https://t.co/FO3fgtTls2
I am urging, actually insisting, the DOJ and the FBI lay their cards on the table as to why this course of action was necessary.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) August 11, 2022
Until that is done the suspicion will continue to mount.
AG Garland personally approved the raid on President Trump.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) August 11, 2022
This is nothing short of a coup.
Attorney General Garland's statement today about the Trump raid was simply embarrassing for this country. Best analysis on https://t.co/rryWmyXe7C.
— Bill O'Reilly (@BillOReilly) August 11, 2022
Who advised Garland to act totally guilty of something very bad?
— Scott Adams (@ScottAdamsSays) August 11, 2022
Merrick, we don't trust you or your department, we have good reason not to trust you or your department, and when you get indignant that just creates further reason not to trust you or your department https://t.co/FmDUnaKgpc
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) August 11, 2022
Revenge
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) August 11, 2022
https://t.co/9jMHQlIyq5
