(TargetLiberty.org) – Attorney General Merrick Garland recently addressed former President Trump’s unfounded claim that the FBI was prepared to use lethal force during their search of his Mar-a-Lago estate, labeling the assertion as “extremely dangerous.”
In a fundraising email sent on Wednesday, Trump alleged that President Biden was “locked & loaded and ready to take me out,” referring to the search related to classified records found at his property. He claimed that Biden or the Justice Department had authorized shooting him if necessary.
During a press briefing on Thursday, Garland refuted these claims, clarifying that the document Trump mentioned is simply the Justice Department’s standard policy on limiting the use of force. Garland emphasized, “That allegation is false, and it is extremely dangerous. The document that has been referred to in the allegation is the Justice Department standard policy, limiting the use of force.”
He added that this policy is routinely included as part of the standard operational plan for searches, similar to the approach taken during the consensual search of President Biden’s home. The policy permits the use of deadly force only when it is necessary to protect someone from imminent danger of death or serious physical injury.
At the time of the FBI’s August 8, 2022 search at Trump’s Florida estate, he was not present, a precaution taken to minimize potential conflict. The FBI maintained that its agents adhered to standard procedures throughout the search. Notably, the agents were dressed casually in polo shirts and khakis to avoid drawing attention while at the resort.
The FBI reiterated that there were no deviations from standard protocol during the search, as previously explained to The Hill. Furthermore, the standard policy on deadly force used during Trump’s search was similarly applied during the search of the current president’s residence in Delaware, following standard practice for all FBI operations.
This controversy arises as Trump seeks to dismiss charges in the case concerning the handling of classified documents.
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