AG Garland breaks silence on raid of Trump home, defends FBI
Attorney General Merrick Garland delivers remarks on the FBI raid of Mar-a-Lago.
Conservatives online ripped into U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for his address to the nation on the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago on Thursday.
During the speech, which was less than five minutes and contained no opportunity for press questions, Garland offered few details on why the raid occurred on former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate, though he mentioned that the search warrant and its contents would be unsealed at the behest of Trump.
The only major detail Garland did provide, however, was that he "personally approved" of the execution of the search warrant that occurred Monday evening. He also made a point to defend the FBI and the DOJ from critics who have been claiming that they have been turned into political weapons against their political enemies.
"I will not stand by silently while the [FBI's] integrity is unfairly attacked... The men and women of the FBI and the DOJ are dedicated and patriotic public servants," Garland asserted.
FBI RAID ON MAR-A-LAGO COULD BOOST TRUMP'S 2024 WHITE HOUSE RUN, SAY STRATEGISTS
Attorney General Merrick Garland addressed the nation on Thursday, verifying he approved of the raid on Donald Trump's Florida home. (Carolyn Kaster-Pool/Getty Images)
Conservative Twitter users expressed frustration that Garland gave no real details, nor was willing to answer any questions about the nature of the raid. Some slammed him for admitting he personally approved the warrant, and others remarked on his "defensive" tone.
Newsbusters executive editor Tim Graham blasted the DOJ’s lack of transparency in this matter, tweeting, "It's annoying that they won't answer any questions, but they will comment on anyone questioning their integrity. You underline your integrity by answering questions."
MRCTV podcast host Brittany Hughes wrote, "Be careful when listening to Garland‘s statement. Garland said that he personally approved seeking a search warrant. But seeking a search warrant and carrying out the raid are two different decisions. He never said he green-lit the raid."
She elaborated: "This is big because a) either he's lying to deflect blame, or b) he truly didn't know, and therefore his entire ability to do his job is in question. In either case, he should resign immediately."
Newsweek opinion editor Josh Hammer remarked on Garland’s overall tone in the speech, tweeting, "Garland’s tone there was remarkably defensive. He’s clearly feeling the heat."
The ForAmerica Twitter account blasted Garland, writing, "Merrick Garland is a coward just like his boss Joe Biden."
"Merrick Garland seems to be confused. We're attacking his integrity—or rather lack thereof," The Daily Wire’s Michael Knowles quipped.
Mar-A-Lago after the FBI raid on August 8, 2022. FBI agents raided the home of former President Donald Trump looking for documents. (Brooke Singman)
Former Georgia congressional candidate Vernon Jones tweeted, "Merrick Garland provided a nothing burger at his one way press conference. More questions now than ever and no more credibility with the DOJ & FBI."
RAID ON TRUMP'S MAR-A-LAGO ESTATE QUESTIONED BY SOME LEGAL SCHOLARS
Former Republican congressional candidate and conservative influencer Robby Starbuck accused Garland of being "entirely corrupt," tweeting, "Just so everyone understands, Merrick Garland was nominated to become a Justice on the Supreme Court. He isn’t on the Supreme Court because President Trump nominated someone else. AG Garland personally signed off on raiding Trump’s home. Entirely corrupt!"
The Federalist editor-in-chief Mollie Hemingway wrote, "Shutter the FBI. Immediately. They are a threat to the country and self-governance."
"Garland suggests nobody at the FBI lacks integrity and how dare any of us suggest some of them do, but we've seen many times over the last few years that that isn't true," tweeted conservative columnist Eddie Zipperer.
Real Clear Investigations senior writer Mark Hemingway added to Zipperer's point, tweeting, "The same DOJ that declared parents complaining about school boards a terrorist threat says the FBI that forged warrant applications to spy on an elected president deserves the benefit of the doubt. Yeah, no."
"The FBI fabricated evidence in an illegal warrant in order to spy on Trump’s campaign. Multiple times," wrote The Federalist co-founder Sean Davis, in response to Zipperer's point.
National Pulse editor-in-chief Raheem Kassam added, "We don’t need to embellish. We just heard the Attorney General of the United States personally state that he approved the raid on a political opponent. Unprecedented tyranny."
And Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani’s son, Andrew Giuliani, tweeted, "Merrick Garland LYING to the American people! Sorry, I don’t buy the ‘limited scope’ gaslight when the FBI spends 9 hours and ends up on Melania’s closet!"
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
A man with a Trump 2024 flag is pictured outside Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida following an FBI raid on Donald Trump's private home. (Alon Skuy/Fox News Digital)
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox