The US Department of Justice opposed, Monday, August 15, the publication of a court document supposed to give the reasons which prompted federal investigators to carry out an unprecedented search at the home of former President Donald Trump last week.
The federal police operation at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida – a first for an ex-president – has caused a political storm, with Donald Trump and his supporters denouncing a “witch hunt”.
Several organizations, including the media, had asked a judge to release a court document in which investigators usually explain why the search was necessary. The Ministry of Justice assured Monday that such a publication “would irreparably harm the ongoing criminal investigation”, according to a court document.
Possible possession of confidential documents
Friday, at the request of prosecutors this time, a judge had made public the warrant authorizing the search and a list of the documents seized.
But the document whose publication was requested this time contains “very sensitive information about witnesses”the techniques used by the police and the facts “extremely important to the investigation”, the ministry said. Its publication could reveal the strategy of the investigators and “to compromise [la réussite] next steps in the investigation”he added.
According to the documents revealed on Friday, the justice suspects the Republican of having violated an American law on espionage which very strictly regulates the possession of confidential documents. The list of items seized mentions many documents classified as “top secret”.