The FBI executed a search warrant on the Mar-a-Lago home of former President Donald Trump.
Most of the nation found out about the raid from the former president.
On Monday evening, Trump said in a statement that a large group of FBI agents was searching his Mar-a-Lago home, accusing the bureau of prosecutorial misdeeds and suggesting the raid was politically motivated to prevent him from running for president in 2024.
The former president said that the assault could only happen in Third World countries. America has become corrupt at a level unseen before. The safe they broke into was mine.
The National Archives asked the Justice Department to investigate if Trump broke the law when he took government records to Mar-a-Lago.
Though the investigation could land Trump in hot water, experts on political and media framing said they believe the former president did himself a favor by announcing the raid himself before the FBI released details of the probe or even any potential charges.
Evan Nierman is the CEO of the global crisis PR firm. I think the Republican political establishment has fallen in line with Trump.
Republicans and right-wing groups jumped on the chance to raise money after Trump announced the FBI search warrant. The Mar-a-Lago resort was swarmed by Trump supporters.
Nierman said that Trump is a master of manipulating the media. At a time when law enforcement wasn't going to be in a hurry to say something publicly, he acted quickly to shape the narrative here.
It's not clear what the FBI was looking for at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, as the Justice Department is under strict guidance not to discuss ongoing investigations with the public.
The bureau would need to show a judge a probable cause of a crime in order to get a warrant.
"I think it's textbook Trump being very aggressive, racing to put out his version of the events, to frame the narrative, to try to shape at least for his followers and his devoted supporters," Nierman said. He's been effective because he's forced the media to report on how he characterized it.
Haynes said that Trump supporters needed talking points, a storyline, and a call to action. It is what it is.
Haynes said that Trump's mastery of command this week was aided by the Republican leaders who were prepared to support the former president. The search has forced GOP lawmakers to acknowledge that Trump is likely to run for president again, a prospect that they had previously been avoiding.
Haynes said that this is great news for Trump. He wants to be in the spotlight. It's what he wanted.
Haynes thinks that the media frenzy around the raid could hurt the Republican Party in the fall.
Is it possible to get the GOP base to turn out. Haynes said it might be possible. It could really help the Democrats.
Regardless of which party takes Congress in November, Trump's Monday statement makes one thing clear: The former president is getting ready for a fight.
Haynes said, "Raided, occupied, under siege, weaponization of the justice system." War-type analogies are what these are.
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