Why did the FBI search Trump's home? GOP leaders must urge calm until we know more

Former presidents have no right to destroy classified documents, much less take them home. If they do, the FBI has every right to retrieve this sensitive information.

That apparently doesn’t matter to Republicans threatening a “civil war” after the FBI executed a lawful warrant at former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence.

The speed and scale of Republicans’ fury could lead to real violence if leaders don’t act responsibly and urge calm.

Extremists reportedly are going after a judge they think signed the warrant, posting his home address, phone numbers and names of family members with threatening messages.

That’s dangerous – and not just for the judge who approved the warrant. It is an affront to the legal system on which this nation relies.

This is not the rhetoric America needs

It’s beyond disheartening to see this type of mob behavior and, even worse, that Republican leaders are fueling it. They should be reasoning what’s best for the country in times like these.

Yet House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy is vowing vengeance against Attorney General Merrick Garland, saying “the Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponized politicization.”

GOP senators and leaders across the country have exploded with similar words, calling the FBI’s search “corrupt,” “prosecutorial misconduct” and “another escalation in the weaponization of federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents.”

That rhetoric is designed to fuel an already angry Trump flock, one we already know is capable of following its leader blindly, as it did when it attacked the U.S. Capitol.

These leaders profess to love America. Now is the time for them to act responsibly and really put “America First.”

Garland must not be forced to play games

They know the FBI has the right to retrieve sensitive documents the former president shouldn’t have taken in the first place.

Is that the only reason behind the FBI search? We don’t know.

The nation’s archivist has said that representatives for Trump had previously returned 15 boxes of documents, some of which were found to be classified and stamped “top secret.” Trump’s lawyers had been in touch with the Justice Department about records at his home, according to other media reports.

Mar-a-Lago search warrant: Many have thoughts, few have seen it

The fact that the FBI executed the search warrant means the agency followed the law. That should be evident to Republicans who have long proclaimed themselves as the rule-of-law party.

Why is the FBI mum? Agents’ job is to investigate, not placate an angry pack. The Justice Department waited until Thursday to explain why it was necessary to take such an unprecedented step.

“I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter,” Garland said, explaining that the warrant was executed after making the required finding of “probable cause” that a crime had been committed.

Transparency is important. But as the nation’s chief law enforcement officer, Garland must not be forced into a politician’s whimsical games that make a mockery out of the law.

No one, including Trump, is above the law

This isn’t the first time the former president defied the law and lied about the facts – anyone who has been paying attention knows that.

Garland, therefore, must follow and apply the law to the letter regardless of political parties. We must agree that nobody is above the law. That’s how a country begins to heal and regains the trust of law enforcement agencies.

Trump and his lawyers know what happened and why. By law, agents had to leave behind a copy of the warrant and an inventory of what they took.

The DOJ has requested to unseal the search warrant, but Trump’s lawyers can object.

Trump could put an end to this by making the warrant public, but so far, he has chosen to fire off angry emails, further inciting his supporters.

That’s irresponsible. That’s not the behavior of a former commander-in-chief, but we know better than to expect him to change.

However, the Republican leaders within his orbit and others must urge calm – if they truly love America.

This is an opinion of The Arizona Republic's editorial board.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump's home search is a powder keg. Republicans must defuse it