Attorney General Merrick Garland is scheduled to make a statement Thursday afternoon, three days after FBI agents raided the Florida residence of former President Donald Trump.
The Justice Department, which Garland heads, has faced pressure since that raid to provide a public explanation for the search of the Trump home at his Mar-a-Lago club.
Trump, who is a Republican, and his allies have said the search was politically motivated and pointed the finger at the administration of President Joe Biden, a Democratic, in condemning the probe.
FBI seized about a dozen boxes from the residence Monday, according to Trump’s lawyer Christina Bobb.
She had said agents left a copy of the search warrant, which indicated they are investigating possible violations of laws related to the Presidential Records Act and the handling of classified material.
A senior White House official told NBC News on Thursday that they were unaware of what Garland would say.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks to the press at the Justice Department after all three defendants were found guilty of federal hate crimes for the murder of a young Black man, Ahmaud Arbrey in Washington, DC, US, February 22, 2022.
Nicholas Kamm | Reuters
“We have had no notice that he was giving remarks and no briefing on the content of them,” the official said.
The Justice Department, and Garland, have a longstanding policy about not commenting on criminal investigations before charges are filed.
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