Everything we know so far about the FBI's Mar-a-Lago raid

What's in the box?

Donald Trump.
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Former President Donald Trump is using the FBI's search of his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as a fundraising opportunity.

FBI agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, and people familiar with the matter have told multiple news outlets that this is part of an investigation into whether Trump moved classified records from the White House to Florida. The warrant was signed off by a judge who confirmed there was probable cause.

In a fundraising email sent Tuesday, Trump claimed to be the victim of "political persecution" and a "witch hunt," which needed to be "exposed and stopped," Reuters reports. Trump's political action committee, Save America, was launched in November 2020, and right now has more than $100 million in the bank.

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A text was also sent to supporters, which stated, "MAR-A-LAGO was RAIDED. The Radical Left is corrupt. Return the power to the people! Will you fight with me?" The text included a link to donate, which went to a landing page that read, "It's time for EVERY PATRIOT to step up and stand against the Left's reckless WITCH HUNTS and political persecution of President Trump!"

While Trump waited until Tuesday to ask for money, the Republican National Committee made its plea on Monday night, Salon reports, sending out a text that said, "THIS IS NOT A DRILL." There was a link to a page soliciting donations, which declared, "Never has there been a more important time to take back our country and STAND FOR FREEDOM. We're counting on YOU! Donate ANY AMOUNT RIGHT NOW to show your support for the GOP to take back Congress and STOP JOE BIDEN."

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Catherine Garcia

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.