The FBI returned boxes taken during its search of Mar-a-Lago for classified documents to President Donald Trump on Friday, according to the White House.
“The FBI is giving the President his property back that was taken during the unlawful and illegal raids. We are taking possession of the boxes today and loading them onto Air Force One,” White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said.
White House staffers could be seen loading about 15 boxes onto Air Force One, as the president prepared to leave for his private Florida residence over the weekend. It was unclear whether the boxes contained any classified documents. Nonetheless, Trump celebrated the return of his property.
“The Department of Justice has just returned the boxes that Deranged Jack Smith made such a big deal about. They are being brought down to Florida and will someday be part of the Trump Presidential Library,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
“Justice finally won out. I did absolutely nothing wrong. This was merely an attack on a political opponent that, obviously, did not work well. Justice in our Country will now be restored.”
In August 2022, the FBI seized 33 boxes during its raid of Mar-a-Lago as part of a federal probe into Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and alleged obstruction of officials’ efforts to obtain them following his first presidential term. The Trump-related investigation was one of two led by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, who filed charges in 2023.
Trump repeatedly characterized the investigation as a politically motivated “witch hunt” because it came during his 2024 reelection campaign. The president has also criticized “deranged” Smith and even taken action against him. On Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order suspending the active security clearances belonging to a law firm that represents Smith.
Alina Habba, a counselor to Trump, also criticized the former special counsel. “Jack Smith is no longer. We are in the Oval Office,” she told reporters. “Frankly, this was a hoax, as we knew.” Habba previously represented Trump in court.
Smith resigned in January before Trump returned to office. His departure came after the Justice Department dropped the case, citing longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
Smith tried reviving the case after Judge Aileen Cannon of Florida dismissed Trump’s classified documents case last year. Cannon found that Smith’s appointment and funding for the case violated constitutional law.
Trump pleaded not guilty to 40 felony charges in the classified documents case. A superseding indictment alleged Trump schemed with two co-defendants before the FBI raid to delete security footage at Mar-a-Lago to hide staff moving the boxes of documents. The charges against Trump’s co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, were ultimately dropped by the Justice Department.
The FBI is now led by Kash Patel, who seeks to overhaul the bureau by focusing on combating terrorism and violent crime instead of pursuing politicized probes. A close Trump ally, Patel was narrowly confirmed by the Senate last week.