The Conversation (0)
Sinead Butler
Aug 09, 2022
A police car is seen outside former US President Donald Trump's residence in Mar-A-Lago, Palm Beach, Florida on August 8, 2022.
Photo by GIORGIO VIERA/AFP via Getty Images
Former US president Donald Trump has said the FBI has raided his home - and a Republican congressional candidate has compared the organisation to "Hitler's Gestapo."
In a statement, Trump claimed "a large group of FBI agents" occupied Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida and stated: "These are dark times for our nation.
"Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before."
Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter
The 76-year-old described the "unannounced" raid as "not necessary or appropriate" as Trump detailed that he had been cooperating with relevant government agencies.
In typical Trump style, he described it as "an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024."
\u201cDonald Trump says Florida Mar-a-Lago estate has been 'raided' by FBI\u201d— The Independent (@The Independent) 1660037400
"Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries," he continued. "Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before. They even broke into my safe!"
The FBI and the Justice Department have not yet commented on the reported search.
Trump added that the raid was part of the "political persecution" that "has been going on for years" against him, and one person who would agree is Republican congressional candidate Lavern Spicer.
There's no question as to which side she's on after she a bizarre reference comparing the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) to the official secret police of Nazi Germany.
"Biden’s FBI is no better than Hitler’s Gestapo at this point," Spicer tweeted.
"Political persecution!"
\u201cBiden\u2019s FBI is no better than Hitler\u2019s Gestapo at this point.\n\nPolitical persecution!\u201d— Lavern Spicer \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@Lavern Spicer \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8) 1660002133
People were quick to call Spicer out for her Gestapo comparison, given that the Nazi secret police used brutal interrogation methods such as torture and murder of prisoners.
Meanwhile, the FBI reportedly obtained a search warrant to carry out a raid Mar-a-Lago for an investigation into Trump's handling of official papers.
\u201c10 minutes of actual reading about the SS/Gestapo and you\u2019d realise how unbelievably stupid this comment is.\n\nAmerica is legitimately going batshit crazy at the moment.\u201d— Nat (@Nat) 1660038988
\u201cHey darl, the Gestapo engaged in violence & torture, coordinated the deportation of millions to concentration camps, and perpetuated the mass shootings of Jews & many others...the FBI seized some documents as part of an on-going investigation, bring it down a notch (or several)\u201d— E l l i \u2661 (@E l l i \u2661) 1660032543
\u201cNot sure what\u2019s more terrifying. The fact that someone posted this or all the people agreeing in the replies.\u201d— Mario Salinas (@Mario Salinas) 1660009352
Some people also noted that Trump himself appointed the current director of the FBI, Christopher A. Wray back in 2017... so not exactly "Biden's FBI".
\u201cTrump appointed Wray\u201d— Willow Watson (@Willow Watson) 1660006948
\u201cExcept the head of the FBI was appointed by trump lol\u201d— Sarah \u270c\ufe0f (@Sarah \u270c\ufe0f) 1660012673
\u201cBiden's FBI, led by \u201cChristopher Asher Wray\u201d. \n\nWho was appointed by your favorite Donald Trump, when does this lie end?\u201d— \u2660\ufe0fJoshua Obi \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddec (@\u2660\ufe0fJoshua Obi \ud83c\uddf3\ud83c\uddec) 1660018754
At least Spicer didn't get Gestapo confused with gazpacho - unlike her fellow Republican Marjorie Taylor Green.
Elsewhere, Spicer was instantly proven wrong on another occasion when she claimed there aren’t any pronouns in the bible or the US constitution.
Neither the FBI nor the justice department have commented on the reported search.
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.