Trump Says He ‘Can’t Imagine’ Being Indicted After FBI Raid

Former President Donald Trump (Left) at CPAC in Dallas, Texas, on Aug. 6, 2022, and the Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., on Feb. 11, 2022. Brandon Bell, Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed disbelief over the prospect of being indicted after the Aug. 8 FBI raid targeting his Florida home over allegedly classified documents.

“I can’t imagine being indicted. I’ve done nothing wrong,” Trump told radio host Hugh Hewitt.

Elaborating on the unprecedented nature of the raid at Mar-a-Lago last month, Trump proclaimed: “I don’t think the people of the United States would stand for it ... and as you know, if a thing like that happened, I would have no prohibition against running. You know that.”

During the interview, the former president maintained he did no wrong in how he handled classified materials. The Department of Justice (DOJ) and Trump are currently embroiled in a legal dispute over whether to appoint a special master to review materials that were taken by the FBI last month.

According to court filings, the DOJ investigation and subsequent FBI raid were triggered by a referral from the National Archives and Records Administration (NORA), which said it observed classified records when Trump transferred records to the agency in January.

Court Battle

An FBI agent whose name was withheld said they “observed markings reflecting the following compliments/dissemination controls: HCS (Human Intelligence Control Systems), FISA, ORCON (originator controlled), NOFORN (not for release to foreign nationals), and SI (special intelligence)” when they visited Mar-a-Lago earlier this year, said a newly redacted portion of the affidavit used to obtain the FBI search warrant last month.

But Trump and some members of his team have repeatedly stated that, as president, he had a standing declassification order on materials that left the Oval Office and were taken to Mar-a-Lago. Days after the raid, Trump wrote on Truth Social that the documents obtained by the FBI were declassified.

In a court filing this week, his lawyers argued that Mar-a-Lago, which is guarded by Secret Service agents, is secure. Moreover, they wrote that there is “no indication” that allegedly classified documents were “disclosed to anyone,” they wrote.

Trump also said that agents took his passports, medical records, tax documents, and materials that are covered under attorney-client privilege. A Florida judge last week sided with Trump’s team by ordering the appointment of a special master, while DOJ lawyers indicated they are planning to appeal the judge’s decision and have argued that it would do harm to the federal government’s investigation.

Also Thursday, Trump again asserted that the materials taken by FBI agents were declassified and accused the agency of targeting him for political reasons.

“There is no reason that they can [indict], other than if they’re just sick and deranged, which is always possible, because I did absolutely … nothing wrong,” Trump told Hewitt.

“I don’t think the people of this country would stand for it,” Trump continued.