Court Releases Fuller List Of What FBI Seized From Trump

Topline

A Florida federal court on Friday unsealed a more detailed inventory of the contents of the 33 boxes and containers that the Federal Bureau of Investigation recovered from former President Donald Trump in a raid on his home Mar-A-Lago in Florida last month.

Key Facts

48 empty folders with classified banners: The filing did not reveal why the folders were empty or any other information on the folders, though many latched onto the mysterious nature of the empty folders as the most intriguing revelation Friday.

18 top-secret government documents: It’s the highest primary level of classified documents.

53 secret government documents and 31 confidential ones: Those are the second-highest and lowest levels of classified documents.

Also found in the boxes and containers were 21 articles of clothing/gift items, more than 30 books and thousands of press clippings.

Key Background

Trump confirmed the raid on his estate August 8 following months of investigation into whether he mishandled government records. The FBI has faced intense backlash from Trump and Republicans, who have claimed the raid was politically motivated. The Justice Department is unlikely to press charges against Trump before the midterm elections in November, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the situation.

Crucial Quote

“It’s the empty classified folders that are of most concern. Where are the contents?” tweeted Andrew Weissman, a former federal prosecutor who investigated Trump’s involvement in Russian interference in the 2016 election. “What were you doing with these?”

What To Watch For

If a federal judge approves Trump’s request for an independent “special master” to oversee the review of the seized documents. Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, said at a Thursday hearing she needs more time to review the request. In a Tuesday court filing, the Justice Department argued the “appointment of a special master would impede the government’s ongoing criminal investigation and “impede the Intelligence Community from…identifying measures to rectify or mitigate any damage that improper storage caused.”

Further Reading

Mar-A-Lago Search: Here Are The Key Events As Report Suggests Trump Kept Hundreds Of Classified Documents At His Private Residence (Forbes)

Here’s What To Know About Trump’s Document Controversy That Led To Mar-A-Lago Raid (Forbes)

Trump And His Team ‘Likely Concealed’ Classified Documents, DOJ Filing Alleges (Forbes)