Was Melania Trump the one who tipped off the FBI about her husband before the Mar-a-Lago raid?
Just ask Twitter, where — per usual — there are a whole lot of opinions floating around!
Donald Trump's days of talking on Twitter might be over, but that doesn't mean the
world of social media is done talking about him. Between the death of his first wife,
Ivana Trump, and the ongoing investigation into the January 6th insurrection,
the former president remains top-of-mind for many Americans.
The latest news that has everyone talking is the FBI's raid on Trump's Mar-a-Lago property
in Florida. According to CNN, the FBI had a search warrant for the resort, hoping to learn more about
how Trump may have mishandled presidential and classified documents. In a statement, Trump said,
"My beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege,
raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents."
He argued that, given his previous cooperation with the investigation,
the "unannounced raid" was not "necessary or appropriate."
NPR noted that such a high-profile raid on the property of a former president would
need top approval, and in order to get that sign-off, investigators would have to have
significant evidence that a crime had been committed. This left some wondering where
the proof suddenly came from, and if the FBI could have had a spy on the inside.
The New York Times reported on the arrival of many Trump fans outside of the property,
blasting songs like "We're Not Gonna Take It" in support of the former president.
"Look what they're putting his family through, look what they're putting him through."
But it wasn't just Trump supporters gathering at the site.
"He deserves it. He’s a criminal,
he has done nothing but negativity for our country and we came here to celebrate."
Twitter, however, was quick to find the humor in the situation, and many jokingly
speculated about the role Melania Trump may have played in the raid. One user said,
"It's been confirmed that there was an informant who pointed the
FBI in the right direction. They only released a first name. [...] Melania."
The humorous tweets come after many speculated throughout Donald
Trump's presidency that Melania Trump wasn't the biggest fan of her husband,
with some sources even compiling awkward moments between the couple.
While NBC News reported that Donald's lawyer was present at the scene,
there's no indication that other members of the Trump family were around. That
hasn't stopped many from insinuating that Melania aided in the search.
One person suggested that the former first lady happily provided the FBI with the code
to her husband's safe, as well as clues on where to look. In reality,
this is a troubling time for the Trump family, and there's no evidence to suggest that Melania
is ready to have the place to herself. Still, Twitter will be Twitter. One user wrote,
"UPDATE: Melania insists she was unaware of Mar-a-Lago raid while holding photo op."
Another added,
"Melania doesn't know anything about the FBI raid at Mar a Lago,
because she has been busy all day photographing Mr. Trump's rugs."
Although many social media users delighted in
the Trump family's pain after the FBI searched the Mar-a-Lago home,
there were plenty who expressed concern for Melania and her son. One Trump supporter tweeted,
"I hope Melania and Baron weren't in [Mar-A-Lago] during the raid by 30 armed
agents in 20 cars. The thought of it alone could scare anyone and invoke nightmares."
Another concerned Twitter user wrote,
"Where was Melania during the raid? Was she with 45 in NY? Imagine how terrified she must be!"
This wasn't the only time Melania became a hot topic during summer 2022. Just weeks
before the Mar-a-Lago FBI raid, Melania spoke about the January 6th attack on Capitol Hill.
The former first lady claimed in a statement to Fox News on July 21th
that she was "unaware" the insurrection was taking place at the time. She said,
"Had I been fully informed of all the details, naturally,
I would have immediately denounced the violence that occurred at the Capitol Building."
That statement came after her former chief of staff Stephanie Grisham
tweeted a screenshot on June 28th of a text conversation between herself
and Melania from January 6th. Grisham's text encouraged the then-first lady to
denounce "lawlessness and violence." Melania reportedly responded with a simple…"no."