Donald Trump being investigated under Espionage Act after FBI seize ‘top secret’ documents from ex-president

The FBI recovered the records from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, according to court papers.

One list of documents is marked “TS/SCI” – meaning top secret or sensitive compartmented information – which is a level reserved for information that could cause “exceptionally grave” damage to US security.

The items removed include more than 20 boxes, binders of photos, and a clemency letter written on behalf of political strategist Roger Stone, a long-time Trump ally.

It comes after reports said FBI agents who raided Trump’s home on Monday were looking for classified nuclear documents Trump may have taken from the White House while in office.

Also recovered was information about the “President of France”, although it is unclear what that refers to.

A seven-page document including the warrant was unsealed on Friday (12.08.22), with its contents being reported for the first time tonight.

It prompted Trump, 76, to claim in a statement the documents seized by agents were all declassified.

He also argued that he would have turned over the documents to the Justice Department if asked.

Trump is denying any wrongdoing and his spokesman added the raid was “outrageous”.

The warrant notes the locations searched at Mar-a-Lago include an area called the ’45 Office’ along with storage rooms.

It was approved by a judge on August 5, three days before it was carried out on Monday, August 8.

The raid on Monday is the first time the property of a former president has been searched as part of a criminal investigation.