FBI seizes classified documents from Trump's Florida residence

Washington, August 13

US federal agents took away 11 sets of classified documents from the Florida residence of former President Donald Trump during an unprecedented search earlier this week, according to legal papers related to the search and the ongoing investigation unsealed by a court on Friday.

As per the Justice Department, these documents are part of a potentially criminal violation of the Espionage Act and a few other laws.

They included four sets of top secret documents, three sets of secret documents and three sets of confidential documents, according to an inventory of items seized by FBI agents.

Some of these documents were marked “classified/ TS/SCI” documents “shorthand” for “top secret/sensitive compartmented information”. Among them was also a document about French President Emmanuel Macron.

The documents, which were listed in a “Receipt of Property” handed over to Trump’s lawyers by the FBI, did not give details contained in them.

One set was titled, “Various classified/TS/SCI documents”. Another went with “Miscellanous (Miscellaneous spelt wrong) Top Secret Documents”. And the one on Macron simply said, “Info re: President of France.” The warrant sanctioning the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence on Monday specified three potential violations of federal law, which could together end in a punishment of years in jail and fine if the accused is found guilty.

Trump could potentially be under investigation for criminal violation of the Espionage Act. He is embroiled in a slew of legal cases, both criminal and civil. — IANS