OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
The private home of former President Donald Trump has been raided by the FBI, the former president said.
“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before,’ he said on Monday.
“After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” he said.
’It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections.
The FBI is raiding Mar-A-Lago. I always wanted to visit Guatemala. Now I can get a big taste of it without going abroad. pic.twitter.com/J634Zi1mpQ
— Mike (@Doranimated) August 8, 2022
“Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries.
“Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.
“They even broke into my safe! What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee? Here, in reverse, Democrats broke into the home of the 45th President of the United States,” he said.
“The political persecution of President Donald J. Trump has been going on for years, with the now fully debunked Russia, Russia, Russia Scam, Impeachment Hoax #1, Impeachment Hoax #2, and so much more, it just never ends. It is political targeting at the highest level!
“Hillary Clinton was allowed to delete and acid wash 33,000 E-mails AFTER they were subpoenaed by Congress. Absolutely nothing has happened to hold her accountable. She even took antique furniture, and other items from the White House,” he said.
“I stood up to America’s bureaucratic corruption, I restored power to the people, and truly delivered for our Country, like we have never seen before. The establishment hated it. Now, as they watch my endorsed candidates win big victories, and see my dominance in all polls, they are trying to stop me, and the Republican Party, once more. The lawlessness, political persecution, and Witch Hunt must be exposed and stopped.
“I will continue to fight for the Great American People!” he said.
Trump has made his decision about the 2024 presidential election, he said during a podcast this week.
Speaking to hosts Clay Travis and Buck Sexton from his Bedminster golf club the former president said it would be “very hard” for him not to campaign for the presidency, presumably against President Joe Biden, Mediaite reported.
“Knowing what you know and seeing what you see of Joe Biden, how do you not run in 2024?” Travis said.
“Very hard for me not to run, to be honest,” the former president responded. “And also, the polls indicate that, from the Republican standpoint, it would be easy.”
“There are some things we just have to ask you, Mr. President. If you’re gonna announce, when are you gonna announce? Can you tell us that?” Sexton said.
The former president said it all comes to two words: “Is it before or after?”
The “before or after” refers to the midterm elections, and his answer indicated that he is going to announce his candidacy and the only question is when.
“Well, if I’m gonna announce, I’ll have to make a decision, is it going to be…? You know, two words: Is it before or after? And there are reasons for both. Some very good things about earlier. There’s some very good things about later. The way I look at it is if I announce early and we do well, I’ll get credit for having done well — as much as you’ll get ’cause the press won’t give you credit anyway. If I do poorly, I’ll get absolutely… It’ll be horrible. But if I announce later and we do well, I won’t get any criticized,” he said.
“In fact, if I announce later and we don’t do well, whether it’s before or after, they’ll blame me. In other words, if we do badly, they’ll blame me no matter what even if I had nothing to do with it. So I don’t know. I will make a decision,” the president said.
“I’ll make a decision fairly soon,” he said. “And my… I must tell you — and I think I can say this — in my mind, I’ve already made the decision.”
One recent report speculated that New York Rep. Elise Stefanik is likely a frontrunner, CNN reported.
While talk about a 2024 vice-presidential pick is of course premature, conversations about adding Stefanik to a future Trump ticket have gained steam in recent weeks at Mar-a-Lago and in other Republican circles, sources said. Current and former advisers and others in Trump’s orbit have privately argued that the New York Republican, who replaced Rep. Liz Cheney as the no. 3 House Republican last year, is a fierce and loyal attack dog, and Trump would benefit from tapping a woman for vice president should he run again.
Two people familiar with the matter said Trump has been surveying close friends and allies on what they think of Stefanik, one of several Republican women he is possibly eyeing for the potential VP slot, though he has not ruled out a few male contenders, too. One of these people said the former President believes Stefanik has undergone a genuine transformation – leaving the moderate wing of the party to join its increasingly powerful “America First” flank.
