FBI's Deadly Force Policy on President Trump Smells Really Bad

Newly released court documents forced out of the Department of Justice largely by America First Legal reveal unacceptable details about the FBI’s raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home Aug. 8, 2022. Many conservatives believe it was a failed attempt by Deep State leaders Joe Biden and Merrick Garland to endanger Donald J. Trump, his family and the U.S.Secret Service (USSS) in a potential line of fire should the raid go awry. According to the filing, “The DOJ and FBI agents planned to bring standard issue weapons, MO, handcuffs and medium and large sized bolt cutters. They were also instructed to wear unmarked polo or collared shirts and to keep law enforcement equipment concealed.” (Brooke Singman, Fox and Friends, Fox News, May 21, 2024). Why? So Trump might think them thieves and protect himself drawing fire? Thirty agents descended at 11:16 p.m. in the dark of night on Trump’s home.

The same details were echoed by Jesse Watters, also of Fox News who added ,“Joe Biden sent men with guns to his political opponents house, and turned their bedrooms [Melania and Barron’s] upside down,…this was the former 1st Lady…unprecedented in the history of the United States.” They brought a medic in case someone was shot. Watters said there was no bases to bring firearms into Mar-a-Lago and that the raid was an unconstitutional illegal search and seizure. The FBI seized Trump’s passports, taxes and accounting information, even medical records.” All of this is nearly two year old news, except the authorization to use deadly force.

What is especially troubling is that the story details above are absent from Deep State media outlets. They never would have covered this on their own had Fox News not first broke the story. I had to go online to get the other side. The Internet revealed only 67 articles on the story—all dismissive of the above and accepting of the FBI’s explanation that ALL FBI raids have the deadly force component—but this is a U.S. president!! The Deep State media choir treated the above as mostly a fantasy. Not one gave the above details, so controlled is mainstream news.

What the Deep State censored most is that putting Trump in harms way is 100% against the law and the FBI and DOJ fully knew this. At the very least it was illegal whether as a risky publicity stunt to make it look like Trump robbed Fort Knox of classified documents and the crime had to be treated “mafia style” to “turn off Trump’s rising popularity, or at worst, entrapment ending in Trump’s planned death in a gun fire exchange between USSS and FBI agents dressed in plain clothes in the dark of the night. Casualties would be considered necessary collateral damage.

That law is 18 US Code Section 879, “Threats Against Former Presidents and Certain Other Persons.” This law provides NO EXCEPTIONS FOR LAW-ENFORCEMENT, FBI or otherwise . It says, “Whoever knowingly and willfully threatens to kill, kidnap, or inflict bodily harm on a former president or member of the immediate family of the former president, a member of the immediate family of the president, the president elect, the vice president, or the vice president elect, a major candidate for the office of president or vice president, or member of the immediate family of such candidate. Or, a person protected by the Secret Service under Section 3056A6 shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years or both.”

In the case of Trump this law was violated five times. He was a “former president” and presently is “a major candidate for the office of president.” His family was/is, also potentially in the line of fire, as the “former president’s family” and presently “major presidential candidate’s immediate family.” And finally, the FBI planned on placing the U.S. Secret Service in harms way. How does one avoid the conclusion that they wanted something to happen to justify killing him?” Fortunately neither Trump or his family was at Mal-a-Lago at the time. Followers ask, “Did Trump avoid an assassination attempt by his own government?”

Julie Kelly, a political commentator and author, asked pertinent questions. “What if Trump had shown up now to defend his property? What if he refused to allow FBI agents into Melania's room? Or, Barons? How would Secret Service have responded? What about armed FBI agents? There are no clear-cut answers” (X22 Reports, hereafter not cited, Ep, 3359b, May 22, 2024, 38:41). But in the dark of night the secret service could have had their guns drawn and fired upon the FBI clothed as civilians and, if an assassination attempt, FBI agents would have had their guns aimed at Trump were he visible. With potentially 30 agents firing , and in all the confusion, who would know who actually killed Trump and the Deep State outlets could have argued that it was an accident. Just as they now argue the supposed concern is a fantasy.

Respecting the FBI’s use of deadly force, Kelly again asks the most pertinent questions. “If lethal force guidance for Mar-A Lago raid is so standard and MBFD, why are we just learning of it now? Why did it take a federal judge to out it from the Department of Justice? Why wasn't the release alongside Mar-a-Lago search warrant? Why didn't FBI own the form from the start?” (Ep. 3360b, May 23, 2024,52:07).

The FBI countered, the “FBI search at President Biden’s homes also included deadly force policy which is standard.” Kelly responds “No search warrant cited in [Robert] Hur Report. No references to armed agents. Search was voluntary and partially delayed because Biden did not want to relinquish diary entries." She then adds, "Still waiting to hear from the SOP [standard operating procedures] deadly force backers, how federal laws that specifically protect the former president / USSS protectees don't apply during an armed FBI raid." She challenges them, "Please cite any case laws, statutes, department policies to show your work. Let's see the order, we saw it for Trump. Show it with Biden” (Ibid.)!

With Biden’s totally unlawful classified documents, the FBI made “his raid” the equivalent of an appointment but in broad daylight without threat of gun violence. Two tiered justice. The FBI’s deadly force policy on President Trump smells really bad—like a failed assassination attempt.

Dr. Harold W. Pease is an expert on the United States Constitution and a syndicated columnist. He has dedicated his career to studying the writings of the Founding Fathers and applying that knowledge to current events. He taught history and political science from this perspective for over 30 years.