- The Washington Times - Saturday, September 14, 2024

Former first lady Melania Trump on Saturday slammed the FBI’s raid of Mar-A-Lago in 2022 and noted that the search should serve as a “warning to all Americans.” 

Ms. Trump recalled the raid in a post on X promoting her new memoir, “Melania.” The video included an image of the Fourth Amendment, which protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures performed by the government. 

“I never imagined my privacy would be invaded by the government here in America,” she said. “The FBI raided my home in Florida and searched through my personal belongings. This is not just my story, it serves as a warning to all Americans, a reminder that our freedom and rights must be respected.”

The FBI’s raid of Mar-a-Lago was conducted to recover a trove of classified documents kept by Mr. Trump after leaving the White House, which eventually resulted in the former president being indicted in 2023. 

The case against Mr. Trump included dozens of felony charges that alleged the former president illegally retained classified documents from his presidency at Mar-a-Lago and obstructed the government’s efforts to get them back. 

However, the case was dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, after siding with Mr. Trump’s defense team’s argument that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment to lead the case by Attorney General Merrick Garland was unconstitutional. 

Mr. Smith is working to get the case reinstated, while Mr. Trump, who has called the raid and charges against him “politically motivated,” has filed notice to sue the DOJ for the search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and is seeking $100 million in punitive damages.

• Alex Miller can be reached at amiller@washingtontimes.com.

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