Why Many Think Melania May Have Ratted Out Donald Trump
When CNN reported that the FBI raided former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort property, the internet quickly went wild with speculation. Donald is currently embroiled in multiple investigations, between the January 6 insurrection and his business dealings in New York. Though some suspected the raid would result in breakthroughs for one of those ongoing cases, ABC News recently reported it took place for a different reason altogether. According to their sources, the Department of Justice and the FBI suspected Donald of hanging onto classified documents, which could impact national security.
Despite the serious nature of the investigation, Twitter never misses an opportunity to create memes. Donald put out a lengthy statement about the situation on his platform, Truth Social (via Politico). "They even broke into my safe," he mentioned. At this, some Twitter users implied that the former first lady, Melania Trump, was probably all too happy to provide the code.
What began as jokes about a seemingly awkward relationship, however, has gotten significantly more real. The Wall Street Journal recently reported (via CNN) that, after an initial investigation into Donald's property in June, someone close to the situation told the FBI that more documents could be at the club. Now, the world has gone from writing quips to writing questions like, "Who's the rat?"
Jared Kushner and Melania Trump could have tipped off the FBI
With so many investigations swirling around him, Donald Trump has become understandably paranoid. According to Rolling Stone, the former president is on high alert for wires and rats — a notoriously bad combination. He's even gone as far as to assert that President Joe Biden has something to do with the infiltration, although other political experts believe the source may be from Trump's own team.
Rick Wilson, a co-founder of the Lincoln Project, shared his theories on MSNBC (via the Independent). He seemed to point the finger at Jared Kushner, Donald's former senior adviser. "I think Jared Kushner has a great paranoia for reasons to do with his family's past. He doesn't ever want to ever go to jail," Wilson said. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, Kushner's father served time in prison for tax evasion. Michael Cohen, Donald's former attorney, also backed the Kushner theory when speaking to Insider.
Peter Strzok, a former FBI agent, has suspicions elsewhere. He took to Twitter to write, "So much paranoia in a mole hunt, no one to trust, so much to do, so much to lose, so many walls closing in so fast. [also, might be Melanie]." The "Melanie" he accused is presumed to be an autocorrected take on Melania Trump's name, with one person quote-tweeting their agreement: "Melania needs an *out*!"
The Trumps' marriage was under constant scrutiny during the presidency
Even if Melania Trump did serve as an FBI informant, she wasn't entirely freed from suspicion. According to the New York Post, the plainclothes officers who investigated the residence went as far as to dig through the former first lady's wardrobe. While the potential invasion of her own privacy could be reason enough for Melania to stay quiet, others are confident that she's been unhappy and looking for an escape.
Uncomfortable moments between the couple were constantly broadcast throughout the Trump presidency. In response to the pair's first dance at the inaugural ball, one person tweeted, "Someday she is going to write a book and tell us all the truth. This is so awkward. #SaveMelania." Once the presidency actually began, Melania continued to be challenged by her new role as the first lady. After receiving harsh backlash and constant scrutiny, Melania was caught on tape seemingly complaining about being compared to her controversial husband. "They say I'm complicit. I'm the same like him, I support him," Glamour quotes her as saying. "I don't say enough. I don't do enough where I am."
Of course, as the nation's most high-profile and documented couple, it's understandable that Donald and Melania had some less-than-perfect moments together. It's hard to say if her experiences would be enough for her to turn her husband into the FBI ... but if she did, it could spell big trouble for Donald.
Donald Trump's own law could land him in prison
As reported by NBC News, Donald Trump himself signed a law in 2018 regarding punishments associated with the "unauthorized removal and retention of classified documents or material." He chose to increase the prison sentence for such a crime from one year to five years, an unfortunate decision given the investigation he now faces.
It's worth noting, however, that the president of the United States has the power to declassify documents at will, with very little required documentation. Experts for CNN suggest that this could play into Donald's defense, if he's able to claim and prove that the documents he retained had already been declassified. Lawyer Brad Moss outlined a few key questions of the investigation: "When did he decide to put those documents there? And did he take any action to declassify them before he left office?" According to Moss, unsealing the documents could have been as easy as crossing off the "classified" label, as the law only dictates that the president must declassify "in writing."
It may be a while before we know the results of who tipped off the FBI, and what exactly they find. In the meantime, the internet has come full circle and gone back to meme-ing. "What's scary is that all of this could happen to any of us who stole nuclear documents," wrote one Twitter user.