In the United States, there could soon be new insights into the basis on which the FBI searched ex-President Trump's property. A judge gives appropriate instructions. Meanwhile, a survey shows how the action is received by the public.
In the United States, a judge in Florida has initiated the partial release of documents on the basis of which the search of ex-President Donald Trump was authorized. Judge Bruce Reinhart, at a hearing, directed the Justice Department to make redaction proposals next week, US media unanimously reported from the courtroom. Meanwhile, a poll shows strong support for the search among Democrat supporters, while the reverse is true for Republicans. It was the first time ever that a former president's house or apartment had been searched.
Several media outlets, including the New York Times, had requested publication. An article in the US newspaper said the release of the documents could shed light on why the FBI thought they could find evidence of a crime at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. The Department of Justice, however, had argued that this could affect future investigations and the cooperation of witnesses. According to media reports, Judge Reinhart said the ministry had not made it sufficiently clear why the documents should remain sealed. He tends to release them.
However, it is considered very unlikely that all the documents will become public. It is also possible that the gain in knowledge will remain small. The judge himself pointed out that the redactions could be so extensive that only an incomprehensible jumble of words remained. The filings are likely to contain important details about the Justice Department's investigation. They are the basis for the search warrant that the FBI federal police used to search Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach earlier this week. At the same time, the judge approved the release of some procedural documents.
In Mar-a-Lago, the FBI also found and seized top-secret documents. Trump argued that he released the documents at the time. Incumbent presidents do have far-reaching powers to lift secrecy. But for the release of documents there is a formal procedure with several highly official steps. Trump also claimed that there was a permanent corresponding instruction in place for all documents he took home. CNN reported that 18 former senior Trump administration officials told the broadcaster they had never heard of such an order while working for Trump.
According to a poll, around half of Republicans reject the search of the property in Florida as irresponsible. Only one in five respondents believe the search for classified government documents was correct, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The rest of the polled party supporters were undecided. Just over 70 percent of Democrats and about half of independents said US law enforcement acted correctly. The two-day survey, which ended Wednesday, polled 1,005 adults, including 436 Democrats and 387 Republicans.
