The Biden White House coordinated with the Department of Justice prior to the FBI’s August 8, 2022, search of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence, before shifting communications “offline,” according to Chad Mizelle, former chief of staff to Attorney General Pam Bondi. In an interview with The New York Post, Mizelle said he reviewed emails showing discussions among the White House Counsel’s Office, the DOJ under Attorney General Merrick Garland, and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in the months leading up to the search. He claimed the emails abruptly stopped after a suggestion to move conversations off email.
Mizelle argued that this coordination contradicts DOJ policies requiring independence from the White House in criminal investigations. He cited a 2021 Garland memo stating that the DOJ would not brief the White House on pending or contemplated law enforcement actions except when necessary for presidential duties. A source confirmed the existence of the emails to The Post, though the outlet has not independently reviewed them. Mizelle said the communications raise concerns about transparency and truthfulness in public statements denying White House involvement.
The claims surfaced alongside documents released by Sen. Chuck Grassley showing internal FBI disagreements over probable cause for the search, which DOJ officials and special counsel Jack Smith’s team ultimately overrode. The search recovered 102 classified documents and led to Trump’s 2023 indictment, later dismissed in 2024 due to Smith’s improper appointment. Biden aides denied prior knowledge of the raid, while Trump’s legal team has continued to allege improper White House coordination.