FBI released a chilling statement in response to recent court documents revealing that deadly force was authorized during the raid on former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in August 2022.
This disclosure came after Judge Aileen Cannon unsealed several motions related to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into classified documents associated with Trump. The unsealed documents clarified that the authorization for deadly force was directed by the FBI under U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, not President Joe Biden. One specific filing indicated that armed FBI agents were ready to confront Trump if he had been present during the raid.
According to an FBI statement on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, the document specified protocols for engaging with Trump, referred to as FPOTUS (Former President of the United States), and his Secret Service security team if necessary.
The document further outlined that the FBI’s deadly force policy permits law enforcement officers to use such force only when necessary—specifically when the officer believes the subject poses an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.
Trump reacted strongly to these revelations, expressing his outrage on social media. “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!” Trump posted on Truth Social. He further claimed in a campaign email, “BIDEN’S DOJ WAS AUTHORIZED TO SHOOT ME!”
In its statement, the FBI sought to clarify the situation, emphasizing that the use of deadly force is a standard part of their operations plan and not unique to the raid on Trump’s residence. The FBI insisted that President Biden had no involvement in the decision. “The FBI, like other law enforcement agencies, requires the team leader of any search warrant or arrest warrant to complete a standardized form known as an ‘Operations Plan,’ which includes the FBI’s deadly force policy. This is a legal requirement and is read to all agents involved before any enforcement action. The President has no input on this process,” the statement read.
Former Secret Service Agent Dan Bongino criticized the FBI’s handling of the situation, arguing that the authorization of deadly force was not routine. “This is absolutely a big deal. Don’t buy the nonsense otherwise,” Bongino stated. He contended that the raid on Mar-a-Lago was unprecedented and fraught with potential conflict between federal agencies, noting the delicate coordination required between the FBI and the Secret Service. Bongino dismissed the FBI’s explanation as overly simplistic, suggesting that the situation was far more complex than standard procedures would indicate. “Anyone telling you otherwise is either dumb, or playing dumb,” he said, pointing out that he had experienced more thorough deconfliction efforts during foreign operations than what appeared to be conducted in this case.
This story continues to unfold, drawing significant attention and raising questions about the procedures and decisions involved in high-profile law enforcement actions.
