'Never imagined...': Melania Trump slams FBI for 'invading' her privacy

Donald Trump's wife and former first lady, Melania Trump, has slammed the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for trampling her freedoms when the agency conducted a raid at her Mar-a-Lago residence.

In a video clip posted on her X (formerly Twitter) account, Melania, while promoting her upcoming memoir, stated that what happened to her must serve as a warning for the Americans.

"I never imagined my privacy would be invaded by the government here in America," said Melania in the video.

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"The FBI raided my home in Florida and searched through my personal belongings. This is not just my story, it serves as a warning to all Americans, a reminder that our freedom and rights must be respected," she added.

In the clip, text from the Fourth Amendment of the IS constitution was also prominently displayed.The Fourth Amendment protects US citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures by the government.

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Classified documents case

Notably, the FBI executed a search warrant on August 8, 2022, in connection to classified documents supposedly kept at Trump's Florida home.

The raid resulted in the recovery of approximately 11,000 documents, including over 100 documents marked as classified and at least 18 marked as "top secret'. 48 empty folders marked as classified were also discovered.

"After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” Trump said at the time of the raid.

The former president also stated that her wife felt "very violated" by the search by the FBI.

“She felt very violated. I mean, this is a terrible thing. They go into her closet, they go through her dresses, and who knows what else. And it wasn’t left the way it—they found it,” said Trump.

In July this year, theFlorida-basedDistrict Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the criminal case against Trump.Cannon ruled that Special Counsel Jack Smith, who was leading the prosecution, was unlawfully appointed to his role and did not have the authority to bring the case.

Notably, Smith was appointed byAttorney General Merrick Garlandin in 2022 to lead the investigation into Trump. However, the former president's counsel argued that Smith's appointment violated the US Constitution as his office was not created by Congress and he was not confirmed by the Senate.

(With inputs from agencies)