‘Does Everyone Get it Yet???!!!’ Greene Claims Biden Ordered Trump’s Assassination
Photograph: Alyssa Pointer/Reuters
Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia has sparked controversy by claiming, without evidence, that President Joe Biden orchestrated an attempt to assassinate former President Donald Trump during the 2022 FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago. According to Greene, the authorization of “deadly force” typically included in FBI operational protocols was a directive to kill Trump, a misinterpretation that has been amplified by her and some media outlets, per Newsweek.
Greene escalated her claims on the social media platform X, stating, “The Biden DOJ and FBI were planning to assassinate Pres Trump and gave the green light. Does everyone get it yet???!!!! What are Republicans going to do about it?” This statement quickly gained traction among Trump’s supporters, including major conservative news networks such as Fox News and Newsmax, despite such use of force being a standard clause in Justice Department operations, reports the Independent.
The controversy stems from an FBI operation on August 8, 2022, during which agents searched Trump’s Florida estate and retrieved hundreds of classified documents. The ongoing legal proceedings against Trump involve 40 criminal charges related to his mishandling of sensitive government documents. Further revelations indicate that additional classified materials were found in Trump’s bedroom several months after the initial search.
The FBI has firmly rebutted Greene’s accusations, emphasizing adherence to standard procedures. “The FBI followed standard protocol in this search as we do for all search warrants, which includes a standard policy statement limiting the use of deadly force,” the FBI clarified in a statement. It stressed that the operation did not deviate from normal practices and that deadly force is only permitted when there is an imminent threat to life, aligning with long-standing Justice Department guidelines.
Supporting the FBI’s position, former FBI associate director for counterintelligence Frank Figliuzzi explained on X, “Yep, every FBI operations order contains a reminder of FBI deadly force policy. Even for a search warrant. Deadly force is always authorized if the required threat presents itself.” Additionally, Joyce Vance, former US Attorney, reiterated on X that the controversy is overblown and rooted in standard legal procedures, stating, “This ‘controversy’ about Garland ‘authorizing’ deadly force when the judicially authorized search warrant at Mar-a-Lago was executed is a lot of sounding off over something that’s a standard practice, controlled by longstanding policy. A little dose of facts goes a long way here.”
Journalist Mike Sington also countered these dramatized claims on X, addressing the misinformation: “Trump hyperventilating that FBI was ready to shoot him and the entire family when they “raided” (entered with a valid search warrant) Mar-a-Lago. Note to the snowflake: Armed law enforcement are always authorized to use deadly force if warranted.”
As this story develops, Greene’s allegations have ignited a heated debate over the interpretation of standard legal protocols and the political motivations behind such claims.
