FBI agents were authorized to use deadly force if necessary to seize government documents from Trump at his home in Mar-a-lago. This was according to court filings recently unsealed by Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida. The “Operations Order” had a “Policy Statement” regarding that force that prompted shock and outrage from Trump and supporters. The bureau said it was “standard protocol”.
The FBI is highly politicized
The policy statement read, “Law enforcement officers of the Department of Justice may use deadly force when necessary.” Trump and his supporters were disgusted.
He posted on Truth Social,
“WOW! I just came out of the Biden Witch Hunt Trial in Manhattan, the “Icebox,” and was shown Reports that Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ, in their Illegal and UnConstitutional Raid of Mar-a-Lago, AUTHORIZED THE FBI TO USE DEADLY (LETHAL) FORCE. NOW WE KNOW, FOR SURE, THAT JOE BIDEN IS A SERIOUS THREAT TO DEMOCRACY. HE IS MENTALLY UNFIT TO HOLD OFFICE — 25TH AMENDMENT!”
The bureau retorted back as reported by ABC News, “The FBI followed standard protocol in this search as we do for all search warrants, which includes a standard policy statement limiting the use of deadly force. No one ordered additional steps to be taken and there was no departure from the norm in this matter.”
Former law enforcement spoke
Dan Bongino is former law enforcement and he said this is all nonsense, not standard. He responded on X/Twitter.
“This is absolutely a big deal. Don’t buy the bullshit otherwise.
It was not a standard op. The MAL raid was an unprecedented action with significant potential for confusion and blue on blue issues and conflict. It also involved competing equities between federal agencies (FBI & USSS) with equal statutory claims to interrupt the other’s activities.
Anyone telling you otherwise is either dumb, or playing dumb. I’ve done more deconfliction with Russians in a foreign op I did for the USSS than the FBI did in their search warrant at MAL.
Only a dumbass would pitch the “it’s the standard paperwork” line. Go serve a search warrant at the White House in the cocaine case while filling out your “standard paperwork” and see how that works out for you. Wake up.”
FBI following procedure
The conservative commentator Mike Cernavich didn’t think standard procedure would apply to a former President with Secret Service protection. He also responded, “It’s sketchy as hell to see people acting like this was an ordinary raid and that usual policies would apply.”
Trump wasn’t at Mar-a-Lago when they came. Agents were instructed on what to do should he arrive.
The statement said, “Should FPOTUS arrive at MAL, FBI MM EM and OSCs will be prepared to engage with FPOTUS and USSS Security Team.” It also suggested what should be done should Trump’s team resist or interfere. Agents were prepared to search guest rooms and since Attorney General Merrick Garland ordered this, there was the potential for deadly confrontation so a medic was among the FBI team.
