The FBI has returned to President Trump the property it seized during the raid of Mar-a-Lago when law enforcement stormed his residence as part of its investigation into whether he mishandled classified documents.
“The Department of Justice has just returned the boxes that deranged Jack Smith made such a big deal about,” Mr. Trump said in a statement Friday. “They are being brought down to Florida and will someday be part of the Trump Presidential Library. 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.”
White House Communications Director Steven Cheung confirmed that the boxes were loaded on Air Force One to return to Mr. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.
“We are taking possession of the boxes today and loading them onto Air Force Once,” Mr. Cheung said.
Alina Habba, a counselor to Mr. Trump, said she personally put the boxes on Air Force One.
“Justice has been and will continue to be restored in this country under President Trump. Truth and Justice always win in the end. God Bless America,” she said.
Ms. Abba said items being returned to Mr. Trump included pictures and newspaper articles as well as some personal items that belonged to the president and first lady Melania Trump.
“They had taken boxes of things that were personal. They raided [Mr. Trump’s son] Barron Trump’s closet, Melania’s closet. They went into drawers they shouldn’t have. They made a mockery of our justice system,” she said.
The move comes just days after newly-minted FBI Director Kash Patel, who was handpicked by Mr. Trump, took over the bureau.
A detailed list of property seized during the August 2022 raid said 33 boxes or containers were seized by the FBI as it executed the search warrant to look for classified documents.
Receipts of collected items listed multiple government documents and photographs with classified markings — including secret and top secret — and multiple empty folders, also with classified markings.
The sensitive documents and government property were listed in a way to indicate that they were mixed with personal items like magazines, newspapers, gifts and articles of clothing.
“Evidence of commingling personal effects with documents bearing classification markings is relevant evidence of the statutory offenses under investigation,” Justice Department prosecutors wrote in a 2022 court filing.
At the time Mr. Trump condemned the raid as “not necessary or appropriate.”
It’s not clear if Mr. Trump is also receiving the documents back, or just the personal items.
Attorney General Merrick Garland had appointed special counsel Jack Smith to probe whether Mr. Trump mishandled any classified documents. The case was dismissed last year by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon.
Judge Cannon concluded that Mr. Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional while dismissing the charges.
Mr. Smith had appealed the dismissal, but dropped the appeal after Mr. Trump won the 2024 election. Justice Department guidelines prohibit criminal charges against sitting presidents. In January, Mr. Smith, who has since resigned from the Justice Department, dropped the charges against Mr. Trump’s former co-defendants.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.