New testimony reveals senior FBI official expressed 'strong concerns' about Mar-a-Lago raid

A former senior FBI official testified in front of the House Judiciary Committee earlier this week regarding the FBI's raid of former President Trump's Mar-a-Lago home last August. 

During Steven D’Antuono's testimony, he expressed “strong concerns” with how the FBI executed the Mar-a-Lago raid. D'Antuono was the former Assistant Director of the FBI Washington Field Office.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Oh.) wrote a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland where he described the testimony.

“During his testimony, Mr. D’Antuono expressed strong concerns with the [Justice] Department’s pursuit of the raid and noted several unusual features in the Department’s handling of the case," the letter states. "Mr. D’Antuono, who had over two decades of FBI experience, noted his frustration that the FBI was going to be ‘left holding the bag again’ with respect to the search of President Trump’s residence."

D'Antuono noted that there were "several abnormalities" with the department's process leading up to the raid. 

The FBI allegedly assigned the execution of the search warrant to the Washington Field Office and not the Miami Field Office, even though the search was taking place in the Miami office’s premises.

D’Antuono testified that the bureau didn't get consent to search the premises prior to seeking a search warrant and did not wait for Trump’s attorney before beginning the search. 

Another concern was that the Justice Department didn't assign a U.S. Attorney to oversee the matter. 

Jordan requested FBI documents on the Trump raid and gave a deadline. 

"Please provide this information as soon as possible but not later than 5:00 p.m. on June 16, 2023," the letter concludes.