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Donald Trump (August 10 in New York City)
Photo: STRINGER / AFP
The house search in his villa in Florida is increasingly becoming a political and legal problem for Donald Trump.
It is still unclear what exactly is in the documents that investigators from the FBI secured two weeks ago in the Mar-a-Lago property.
What is clear, however, is that at least part of it is subject to strict secrecy and should therefore probably not have been kept there.
When under pressure, Trump usually resorts to legal action.
This is also the case in the current case, in which, among other things, there is a possible violation of espionage laws: the former US President is taking action in a federal court.
He wants this to prevent the investigators from evaluating the seized documents.
As his lawyers argue, "one must assume" that the papers are protected by so-called "executive privilege."
This regulation provides for confidentiality under certain circumstances.
Trump and his advisors want to apply the rule to the papers from Florida - at least until a neutral supervisor is found to oversee the evaluation.
“This case has captivated the American public.
Normal regulations are not sufficient if the case not only affects President Trump's rights, but also executive privileges must be assumed, "says the lawyers' letter to the court.
At the end of last week, a Florida judge initiated the partial release of documents on the basis of which the search warrant for ex-President Donald Trump's home was approved.
Judge Bruce Reinhart at a hearing Thursday ordered the Justice Department to make redaction proposals next week, US media consistently reported from the courtroom.
Complete publication practically impossible
It is considered very unlikely that the entire documents will become public.
The filings are likely to contain important details about the Justice Department's investigation.
They are the basis for the search warrant that the FBI had used to search the Palm Beach property.
At the same time, the judge approved the release of some procedural documents.
The Justice Department opposed the publication.
Jay Bratt, the head of the counterintelligence division, told the judge that releasing the documents was not in the public interest as it could harm the ongoing investigation.
This is still at an early stage - with highly sensitive grand jury material.
In Mar-a-Lago, the FBI also found and seized top-secret documents on Aug. 8.
Trump argued that he released the documents at the time.
Incumbent presidents do have far-reaching powers to lift secrecy.
But for the release of documents there is a formal procedure with several highly official steps.
jok/Reuters