Special Counsel Jack Smith has reportedly been investigating two rooms at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate that the Federal Bureau of Investigation did not search during their hunt for classified documents.
What Happened: The rooms in question are a closet and a “hidden room” within Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. The FBI allegedly missed these rooms during their search for classified documents in August 2022, reported ABC News, citing sources familiar with the matter.
Smith’s team has reportedly questioned multiple witnesses about these rooms in the months leading up to Trump’s indictment on charges related to classified documents.
The line of questioning suggests that Smith’s team was exploring the possibility of additional classified documents being present at Mar-a-Lago.
It was later discovered that the closet, which was locked during the search, had its lock changed by Trump while his attorney was searching for classified documents in the basement. This alleged attempt to conceal documents is a key part of Smith’s indictment against Trump in Florida.
Aside from the closet, the FBI also did not search a “hidden room” connected to Trump’s bedroom. Smith’s investigators were reportedly informed by Trump’s employees that the FBI had missed at least one room at Mar-a-Lago in the days following the search, the report noted, citing the sources.
Jordan Strauss, a former federal prosecutor and ex-national security official at the Justice Department, found the purported neglect by the FBI to search the closet “a bit astonishing.”
“You’re searching a former president’s house. You [should] get it right the first time,” Strauss told ABC.
A senior FBI official stated that agents concentrated their efforts on locations they suspected might contain government documents.
“Based on information gathered throughout the course of the investigation, areas were identified and searched pursuant to the search warrant,” the official told ABC.
A representative for the Trump campaign condemned President Joe Biden and the media, asserting that the investigations into Trump are merely “attempts at election interference … to stop the presumptive Republican nominee for President.”
It remains unclear if Trump ever stored classified documents in these spaces or if Smith’s team considered seeking another warrant to search Mar-a-Lago again, the report stated.
Why It Matters: The investigation into the unsearched rooms at Mar-a-Lago adds a new layer to the ongoing legal saga surrounding Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents. This development comes after a series of events that have kept the issue in the public eye.
In October 2023, Smith hinted at the possible reasons behind Trump’s hoarding of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. This was in response to a request from Trump’s legal team to delay the trial, which was due to start in May 2024.
Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing, even refuting reports that employees at Mar-a-Lago could be summoned to testify in the case.
The slow pace of the pretrial process, as observed by Judge Aileen Cannon, has also been a point of interest, with the judge facing challenges in dealing with highly classified documents under the Classified Information Procedures Act.
Meanwhile, the trial concerning allegations of election interference by Trump, initially set to commence on March 4, was deferred pending an appeals court ruling on his claim of presidential immunity.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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