Documents released through watchdog litigation outline disagreements over probable cause and investigative approach.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A set of records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request provides new details about internal discussions within the Federal Bureau of Investigation ahead of the 2022 search of President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, including documented concerns raised by field personnel regarding the legal basis for the operation.
The materials, totaling 207 pages, were released to the watchdog group Judicial Watch following a 2026 FOIA request related to the investigation known as Plasmic Echo, which had been designated a “sensitive investigative matter”.
Judicial Watch said in a report that the documents include communications from FBI personnel expressing reservations about whether probable cause had been established for a search warrant.
In a July 13, 2022, email exchange, agents from the Washington Field Office wrote that they did not believe probable cause existed and recommended pursuing document recovery through coordination with Trump’s legal representatives rather than executing a search.
“WFO does not believe … that we have established probable cause for the search warrant at Mar a Lago,” the communication stated, while noting that the Justice Department held a different view and sought a broader scope covering multiple areas of the property.
A separate internal message similarly indicated disagreement over the scope and justification for the proposed warrant, with personnel stating they were “not in agreement for PC [probable cause] on the SW [search warrant].”
Other records include a May 2022 email referencing coordination between the FBI, the Justice Department, and the White House Counsel’s Office related to the investigation, including discussions involving a former aide to Trump.
An August 2022 communication addressed operational considerations for the search, including concerns about how initial contact with legal counsel would be handled and the potential public perception of the action.
The documents also reference a May 2022 email noting inquiries from a media outlet regarding investigative activity, and a February 2022 report citing a request from advocacy organizations for the Justice Department to examine whether federal laws governing presidential records had been violated.
Following the August 2022 search, FBI Director Christopher Wray issued a bureau-wide message stating that investigative steps were conducted in accordance with legal and national security standards. “We don’t cut corners. We don’t play favorites,” Wray wrote.
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said the records show internal disagreements about the investigation’s approach. “These documents show the FBI knew there was no probable cause, yet … the Justice Department pushed forward,” Fitton said, adding that the organization will continue to pursue additional disclosures.
The group has filed multiple lawsuits related to records surrounding the Mar-a-Lago search, including efforts to obtain surveillance footage and the search warrant affidavit. Earlier litigation also led to the release of records concerning discussions about surveillance footage and a separate case that resulted in the release of 1,276 pages of documents related to the dispute over presidential records. Additional materials can be reviewed here and here.
Further legal action by Judicial Watch sought to unseal the search warrant affidavit and obtain additional communications between federal agencies, including the Justice Department, FBI, and other executive branch offices.
The released documents provide additional insight into internal deliberations leading up to one of the most scrutinized federal searches in recent years.
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