The Department of Justice (DOJ) has released an unredacted document that sheds light on the photographic and video evidence collected from Mar-a-Lago following the Trump presidency that supported the FBI search of the resort.
The document, which has sent shockwaves through Washington, D.C., mirrors many details outlined in last month’s indictment of Donald Trump and his co-defendant Walt Nauta. However, it is the less-redacted search warrant affidavit has unveiled the extent of prosecutors’ knowledge before seeking authorization to scour the Florida property for crucial documents and potential evidence. This affidavit, although partially redacted, paints a vivid picture of what unfolded at Mar-a-Lago during the spring of 2022.
Captured on surveillance footage from multiple angles, the affidavit describes an intriguing scene outside a basement storage room that housed classified documents in boxes.
As reported by CNN, the affidavit not only presents vivid descriptions but also includes a compelling photograph depicting boxes stacked inside a room. These boxes, investigators assert, were linked to Trump’s presidential tenure and, alarmingly, appeared to have been tampered with or moved.
With a sense of urgency, prosecutors noted in the court record, “Video footage reflects that evidence has been moved recently. It cannot be seen on the video footage where the boxes were moved when they were taken from the storage room area, and accordingly, the current location of the boxes that were removed from the storage room area but not returned to it is unknown.”
The FBI’s exhaustive review of security footage obtained from the Trump Organization provided a crucial breakthrough. One individual, identified only as “witness 5,” emerged as a central figure in the investigation. The affidavit outlines witness 5’s suspicious actions, caught on camera, involving the movement of multiple boxes throughout the estate in 2022.
On June 1, 2022, the video surveillance captured witness 5 exiting the ANTEROOM entrance carrying eleven brown cardboard boxes. Astonishingly, one of the boxes lacked a lid and seemed to contain a trove of papers. The significance of this discovery cannot be overstated.
The next day, June 2, 2022, witness 5 was seen transporting between twenty-five to thirty boxes, including both brown cardboard and Bankers boxes consistent with the description of the FPOTUS BOXES, into the entrance of the ANTEROOM. These actions raise troubling questions about the contents and intentions behind such clandestine movements.
Originally submitted under seal in court last year, the document, known as an affidavit, served as the legal foundation for the FBI’s request to search the Trump-owned property in Florida and seize any pertinent evidence, particularly classified records.
The unredacted affidavit, now available to the public, has significantly bolstered the Justice Department’s case against the former president. This startling revelation is poised to shake the political landscape, leaving no doubt that the repercussions will be far-reaching.
