FBI Director Christopher Wray has condemned online threats made against bureau employees - himself included - in the aftermath of its raid on the residence of former US President Donald Trump, the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, on August 8.
Following the warrant-authorized search, social media platforms registered a sharp uptick in death and other kinds of threats against Wray and other FBI employees. The threats mostly came from those backing Trump and the Republicans, who joined the ex-president in harshly condemning the search, arguing that it was outrageous and illegal.
For his part, Wray insisted that the threats were "deplorable and dangerous".
"I’m always concerned about threats to law enforcement. Violence against law enforcement is not the answer, no matter who you’re upset with," he said.
At the same time, the FBI director failed to soothe tensions with disgruntled US citizens, declining to reveal what the bureau's officers were looking for ̶ or found ̶ inside Mar-a-Lago. The search warrant's details likewise remain sealed.
On August 8, several dozen FBI agents rummaged through the estate for hours in Trump's absence, only revealing that they were looking for evidence of misconduct by the ex-president. The FBI’s actions, which the Republicans have dubbed a "raid", were the first time authorities have searched a former president’s residence in US history, prompting harsh criticism.
"These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, was raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents," Trump said.
Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers have demanded that the FBI explains its actions, with Senator Rand Paul going so far as to suggest he might launch an impeachment process against Attorney General Merrick Garland over the raid unless he presents compelling evidence that it was necessary.
Trump is currently facing several civil and criminal investigations, with one targeting allegations of fraud over how he conducted his business in the past. Another is led by the House January 6 Committee and is investigating accusations that the former POTUS staged an insurrection when protesters stormed the Capitol in 2021. The former president denies accusations against him in both cases.