Trump Claims Biden Allowed FBI To Use ‘Deadly Force’ In Mar-A-Lago Raid—Here’s Why That’s False

Former President Donald Trump’s campaign sought to gin up sympathy, and donations, for his 2024 presidential bid by suggesting FBI agents who raided his Mar-a-Lago estate were prepared to kill him—exaggerating standard language used in search warrant instructions despite investigators reportedly taking steps to avoid conflict in the August 2022 raid.

Trump’s campaign sent a fundraising email Tuesday claiming “Joe Biden was locked & loaded ready to take me out & put my family in danger” when FBI agents raided his Palm Beach estate, while Trump also claimed on Truth Social that “Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ, in their Illegal and UnConstitutional Raid of Mar-a-Lago, AUTHORIZED THE FBI TO USE DEADLY (LETHAL) FORCE.”

The allegations stem from standard search warrant instructions pertaining to the use of deadly force that were included in a motion to dismiss the classified documents case filed by Trump’s attorneys and unsealed Tuesday.