AG Merrick Garland owns the FBI raid at Trump's home. Now, Trump must unseal warrant

Attorney General Merrick Garland just torched Republican attacks over the FBI’s raid at Trump’s house with a single move – he sought to unseal the search warrant.

It’s a brilliant move to give Republicans what they’ve been clamoring for nonstop since Monday, when Trump confirmed the FBI raided his Florida home. Media reports suggest the ageny was there to retrieve sensitive documents he shouldn’t have taken with him in the first place.

“I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter,” Garland said on Thursday, quashing speculations about who had the audacity to follow the law.

Then the bombshell. Garland said the DOJ has asked a judge to unseal the search warrant – with the caveat that the former president can object.

A judge is ordering the Justice Department to speak with Trump’s lawyers to find out if they’ll object the motion to unseal the warrant. The DOJ has until 3 p.m. Friday to tell the judge what Trump has decided.

A search warrant is normally kept confidential to protect the person under investigation, but Garland has faced intense criticism to disclose it.

Will Trump agree to unseal the warrant?

What will Trump do now? He said on his social media site that he wouldn’t oppose the release of the document and urged the DOJ to do so “now.” Let’s hold him to that when his lawyers go before the judge.

But why wait for the Justice Department to make documents public? He could have done it from the beginning. By law, FBI agents were required to leave a copy behind.

But he didn’t.

Another view: If you thought the Trump raid was a fiasco, you were right

Why?

Because he wanted to incite his followers against the Justice Department and proclaim himself the victim instead of owning up to his mistakes or even potential crimes.

He could just do it now himself without waiting for the judge, but no. He’s still just playing political games.

Will Republicans now demand Trump to unseal the warrant himself? That’s what they said they wanted, so they must.

But will they? Don’t hold your breath.

Transparency is a powerful weapon

The anger they’ve been spewing the past few days is nothing more than a Machiavellian move to lead the MAGA crowd across the line into dangerous territory to destabilize the country.

Unprecedented: Trump's scandals are unique in history

And MAGA soldiers are so blind, they can’t see that their leaders are destroying America, not saving it.

Transparency is a powerful weapon. And Garland just handed it to Trump and his allies. Your move, MAGA leaders.

Elvia Díaz is the editorial page editor for The Republic and azcentral. Reach her at 602-444-8606 or elvia.diaz@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on Twitter, @elviadiaz1.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Trump must unseal the FBI search warrant. Demand that he does