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UPDATE (Aug. 26, 2022, 12:44 p.m. ET): The Justice Department on Friday unsealed a partially redacted copy of the FBI affidavit used to obtain a search warrant for former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate earlier this month.

Theres been a flood of information in recent weeks about Donald Trump, the classified materials he took to Mar-a-Lago, the National Archives, and the Justice Departments investigation, but there was one recent detail about Attorney General Merrick Garland that warranted some follow up.

According to a New York Times report published two weeks ago, shortly before Garland delivered public remarks on the controversy, announced plans to unseal the warrant related to the former presidents Florida property, a person close to Mr. Trump reached out to a Justice Department official to pass along a message from the former president to the attorney general.

The Times added that the Republican wanted the attorney general to know that FBIs search had enraged the nation, and Trump wanted to know what he could to to reduce the heat.

I had quite a few questions about this, some of which, oddly enough, were answered this week by Trump himself.

On Monday, the former president and his lawyers asked a judge to order the appointment of a special master to oversee the handling of the documents seized at Mar-a-Lago, but as part of the court filing, Team Trump also shed some light on events that happened behind the scenes.

According to the former presidents own version of events, on Aug. 11 two weeks ago today one of Trumps lawyers had a phone conversation with Jay Bratt, the chief of the counterespionage section of the national security division of the Justice Department whod been involved in the investigation. This weeks court filing added that the first item of discussion was a message Trump wanted to convey to the nations chief law enforcement official:

President Trump wants the Attorney General to know that he has been hearing from people all over the country about the raid. If there was one word to describe their mood, it is angry. The heat is building up. The pressure is building up. Whatever I can do to take the heat down, to bring the pressure down, just let us know.

In other words, according to Team Trump, the Times reporting was exactly right.

That said, the scenario described in the filing hardly does the former president any favors. Garland delivered public remarks on Aug. 11. According to Team Trumps version of events, that same day, before the attorney general spoke, the Republican had one of his lawyers deliver a message to a top Justice Department official, with the expectation that it would be conveyed to Garland directly.

The message wasnt an explicit threat, per se, though Trump wanted the attorney general to know that, as far as the former president was concerned, the nation was outraged by the execution of a court-approved search warrant. Trump was apparently concerned about the consequences of the heat and pressure.

Part of the problem with this is that Trumps concerns about national stability were obviously insincere: The former president lashed out wildly at law enforcement before Aug. 11 helping create much of the anger referenced in his message and his rhetoric became even more caustic in the days that followed Garlands remarks.

But lets also not miss the forest for the trees. Facing an intensifying federal investigation, and just days after the FBI executed a search warrant at one of his properties, Trump thought itd be a good idea to deliver a message to the attorney general with an ominous warning about rising heat and pressure ... building up.

Thats not based on claims from unnamed sources; thats what happened according to the former presidents own court filing.

I dont think weve heard the last of this one.

Steve Benen is a producer for "The Rachel Maddow Show," the editor of MaddowBlog and an MSNBC political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of "The Impostors: How Republicans Quit Governing and Seized American Politics."

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Busted and panicking: Trump sent apparent threat to Attorney General after search - MSNBC

Of all the legal issues facing former President Donald Trump, the Justice Department investigation into classified documents found at his Mar-a-Lago home is thought to be the most pressing.

Earlier this month an FBI raid on Trumps Florida estate found boxes of sensitive White House documents, with eleven sets of classified files taken by agents as part of the investigation.

Before leaving office presidents must submit all documents to the National Archive, a government agency tasked with handling and recording sensitive documents. Trump is being investigated for failing to hand over all the files.

In response to the raid Trump released a strongly worded statement in which he promised to fight the investigation and sue the Department of Justice for what he baselessly claims is a politically-motivated attack. Court filings from Trumps team appeared to show his own name on the lawsuit, leading some to speculate that the former President was planning to represent himself in court.

However after closer inspection it seems that the misleading filing was the result of a system error from the court.

Given Trumps well-known self-confidence and certainty in his own ability, it struck some as likely that he would choose to represent himself in what he has come to see as a personal battle against the Department of Justice.

Lawyer and legal commentator Tristan Snell even posted a screenshot from the federal courts online filing system which states that Donald J. Trump would be representing himself pro se.

However it seems that this was simply the result of an error on the electronic filing system which did not update properly, which has since been updated along with further case notes. New papers linked to the lawsuit state that Lindsey Halligan, James M. Trusty, and M. Evan Corcoran will e representing Trump.

A document submitted to the Southern District of Florida Court reads:

Please take notice that the foregoing Motion For Judicial Oversight And Additional Relief is being filed conventionally because a technical issue with access to the Courts CM /ECF system precluded electronic filing today, and the CM /ECF Help Desk advised undersigned counsel to file conventionally.

But while Trumps legal problems have not yet extended to having to represent himself, it is true that his team appear to be struggling to fight the former Presidents myriad legal battles without the instruments of the White House.

A report in The New York Times describes Trump as being increasingly isolated, now serving as his own strategic advisor and director of communications. His own scattergun approach can secure quick PR victories amongst his supporters, but it is not suited to the intricacies of the American legal system.

Earlier this week he made public a letter that the National Archives had sent to Trumps legal team, which Trump claimed was evidence that President Biden had been involved in the case against him. However the letter proved nothing of Bidens involvement, and instead served to announce publically that Trump had kept more than 700 White House documents with classification markings.

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Is Donald Trump going to represent himself in the Department of Justice lawsuit? - AS USA

Uncertainty clouds projections of the2024presidential race. The dispositive questions are whether incumbent president Joe Biden, and former presidentDonald Trump, will run for reelection. All else flows from those two decisions. Perhaps the most interesting potential scenario would be if Trump were to be elected to a second term. Trumps first term stemmed from modern political historys greatest upset win and resulted in the most divided America since the end of theVietnam War perhaps since theCivil War.

So, what would a second Trump term look like?

Presidential second terms have the capacity for awkwardness. While second-term presidents are still technically the most powerful person on Earth, their power wanes as they approach the conclusion of their term, especially once a successor is elected; ineligible for reelection, with a successor in place, presidents lose their teeth they become lame ducks.

Similarly, second terms have such a tendency or perception of being less successful than the first term that theres even a superstitious legend: the second-term curse. Legend holds that George Washington put a curse on Franklin D. Roosevelt when FDR ran for a third presidential term. The curse, folksy as it is, results from the frequency with which second-term presidents are confronted with scandal, catastrophe, intern drama, political downturn, etc. Second terms have been fraught with problems. Consider modern presidential history. Nixon dealt with Watergate and was forced to resign. Reagan had Iran-Contra. Clinton was impeached over the Lewinksy scandal. George W. Bush had Hurricane Katrina and the financial meltdown. Barack Obama had the Snowden leaks. Although, the idea of a second-term curse isnt quite scientific. Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight doesnt buy the second-term curse.

My view, then, is that the idea of the second-term curse is sloppy as an analytical concept. There is certainly a historical tendency for presidents who earn a second term to become less popular but some of this reflects reversion to the mean. And some recent presidents have overcome the supposed curse and actually become more popular on average during their second terms.

Anyways, what would a Trump second term look like? Lame duck? Second-term curse?

By definition, asecond term Trumpwould inevitably become a lame duck. However, Trump has demonstrated a unique ability to retain soft power. The last timeTrumpwas a lame duck, for example, he denied the legitimacy of the election results that rendered him a lame duck, hence bolstering himself, in the eyes of his supporters, as something more than a lame duck. And once Trump departed office, he remained the most powerful figure in the GOP a phenomenon, a one-term president, ousted from office, yet still the partys standard-bearer. Typically, when a one-termer is out, his political career is over.Jimmy Carterwas done;George H. W. Bushwas done.Trump is not done. Trump still operates as something of a kingmaker within the GOP, with congressional and gubernatorial candidates all coveting a Trump endorsement. A Trump at the end of his second term should be slightly different, however. He would be ineligible for another run; he would be well into his 80s. Yet, Trumps loyal base of ardent supporters, MAGA-nation, would undoubtedly still worship the guy.

What about a second-term curse? Ill avoid pointed speculation about force majeure events. China is ascendent. Putin is adventurous. The Fed, in their efforts to fight inflation, could unleash another recession. Global warming appears to be accelerating the rate of natural disaster occurrence. Theres plenty that could go wrong.

Speculation about potential controversies is easy theres plenty ofongoingcontroversies to fuel speculation.JustSecurity.orghas a Trump litigation tracker; currently, the former president is involved in 22 ongoing criminal or civil investigations/lawsuits. Trump is under fire for everything from incitement to fraud to tax evasion. Trump is perpetually embroiled in controversy, so simple math tells us a Trump second term would be embroiled in controversy, too. Right now, Trumps most pressing controversy is the classified documents bit, which inspired anFBI raidofMar-a-Lago.

Granted, much of Trumps legal controversy is the result of aggressive, wishful opposition comparable to theStarr/Gingrichopposition that plagued Clintons tenure. But unlikeClinton, or other second-term-curse-suffering presidents, Trump somehow seems to draw energy and power from controversy.

Harrison Kass is the Senior Editor at 19FortyFive. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, he joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. He lives in Oregon and listens to Dokken. Follow him on Twitter @harrison_kass.

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Donald Trump Could Be a Chaos Bomb If He Wins 2024 - 19FortyFive

I recently read a commentary on TNHs website titled The Useful Club of American Presidents (Aug. 23), written by TNH founder and longtime publisher, Antonis Diamataris. He concludes correctly, in my view that presidents have their own exclusive clubThey form a special relationship with each other. There is mutual understanding, perhaps mutual compassion, even if they dont like each other.And he believes, as I do, that such relationships are positive and useful for the country as well.

I have been fascinated with the American presidency since I was a kid, and I always loved seeing former presidents together. Back in 1981, I remember seeing a photograph of President Reagan together with former Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Carter at the White House and still consider it one of the most compelling images of modern American history. Ive always thought that when presidents current and former get together, its a special moment for America.

In 2012 I read The Presidents Club, an excellent book by Nancy Gibbs and Michael Duffy, which chronicles relationships between current and former presidents throughout our nations history. Even more thought-provoking is the 2020 book Team of Five: The Presidents Club in the Age of Trump, by Kate Andersen Brower. The front cover depicts another great photo: President Bush in the Oval Office along with President-Elect Obama, and former Presidents Carter, Bush (Sr.), and Clinton. They are laughing and in good spirits; they appear to be enjoying one anothers company.

The author masterfully draws our attention to the 500-pound (orange-haired?) elephant in the room: Trump is different from the rest. Very, very different.Brower reminds us that when Barbara Bush died, the two Presidents Bush her husband and son were obviously there, but so were Presidents Clinton and Obama. Carter was not, because he was overseas. But incumbent President Trump was conspicuously absent he says so as not to cause disruptions, others say the family (particularly the deceased) didnt want him there.

His absence was eerie, as was his presence at the elder Bushs funeral a few months later. With wife Melania at his side, the Trumps clearly stood out as the which object does not belong juxtaposed with the Carters, Clintons, Bushes, and Obamas. But whos fault is that?

Another book I highly recommend is a very recent one, Heres the Deal, by Trump confidant Kellyanne Conway. She and I belong in the same camp insofar as we criticize much of what Trump did from Election Day through snubbing Inauguration Day, but see no evidence that he committed any crimes, or impeachable offenses, or was responsible for the one percent of the January 6 rally attendees who invaded the Capitol.

Conway writes about how when the nation went into pandemic lockdown mode in early 2020, she encouraged Trump to invite the former presidents to the White House and form a united front against the virus that would evoke a sense of reassurance in the American people. Ugh, theyre all horrible to me was his response. Conway persisted, describing how they could all stand in the Oval Office, the four former chief executives lending their support to him. He heard her argument, but didnt change his mind. Why not?

It is very telling that many will fall over themselves like shopaholics at a Black Friday sale to insist that its Trumps fault, of course! Hes an unhinged narcissistic sociopath. All of the others get along well together, right? Even ones from opposite parties who didnt always say the nicest things about one another. Trumps the oddball. Cant you see its his fault? No question about it.

Others will be equally hasty to rush to the opposite conclusion, that they are part of the Deep State and never gave Trump a chance because he would drain the swamp in which they all dwell. Before he even took office they said he was unfit, that the Russians helped him win, and theyve been criticizing him ever since. These same people had no problem with his tone until he became a threat to their power. They are without a doubt the ones to blame.

When laypersons think that way, leading with their emotions, its just part of the human experience. But when historians do it, its very troubling. Like everyone else, historians have opinions, draw conclusions, and vote for one candidate over another. But when they act as historians, they need to leave their opinions and their emotions on the doorstep.

Did the former presidents really make Trump feel as if he was beneath them? If so, did Trump simply give up on them right away, or did he make an attempt to win them over? Did they start out being friendly with him and then he shunned them when they didnt agree with everything he said? Did he think they were all failures as presidents and so he didnt want any of their advice?

Why Trump is not a member of the Presidents Club is an important study for historians to undertake. I confess that Im somewhat pessimistic theyll be able to overcome their fears that their actual findings will be opposite of their desired findings, and so they wont record history accurately.Historians, like teachers and news reporters, must honor their obligations to humankind by sharing with them the truth as they best understand it.

I wish Trump was part of the Presidents Club. I agree with Antonis and Kellyanne that our country would benefit from that. But Im not about to pass judgment one way or another based on cockamamie half-baked red herrings and anecdotes. Thats what litigators and politicians (with notable exceptions) do, not historians.

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Why Isn't Donald Trump Part of the Presidents Club? - The National Herald

The billionaire heir behind the BMW luxury brand urged the people of Europe to do whatever they can to prevent a second presidency under Donald Trump.

During a recent speech given for his mothers charitable foundation earlier this month, BMW deputy chairman Stefan Quandt warned it would be naive for the continent to view Trump as a historical aberration and rule out the possibility of his reelection in 2024.

Europe and the entire free world can count itself lucky today that Joe Biden is the rightful president of the United States of America. And we need to do everything in our power so that it stays that way, said Quandt, according to a report by Germanys Focus Money.

Quandt and his older sister Susanne Klatten, Germanys wealthiest woman, control nearly half of the outstanding stock in BMW. The stake was inherited from their father, Herbert, who rescued the company in 1960 with the help of BMW trade unionist Kurt Golda.

From the very beginning of his presidency, Trump attacked Germany for what he perceived were policies of maximizing exports and minimizing imports that he claimed harmed U.S. economic interests, as well as its failure to meet NATO military spending targets.

The countrys carmakers were among Trumps favorite targets for reproach, even though the triumvirate of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, and Volkswagen all maintained major manufacturing operations in the United States.

Last year BMW even ranked as the biggest U.S. exporter by dollar value for theeighth straight year running. In 2021, the Commerce Department estimated it shipped nearly 260,000 light vehicles worth just over $10 billion abroad.

Owing to Trumps icy relations with popular Chancellor Angela Merkel, his constant criticism of the country, as well as an abrasive ambassador to Berlin, Richard Grenell, there remains a deep mistrust of the ex-president among Germans.

In a survey published just weeks before the pandemic upended world order, Germans overwhelmingly told pollsters that Trump was the biggest threat to peace.

By comparison, Russian leader Vladimir Putin only factored a distant third with just 8% behind North Koreas Kim Jong-Un.

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Billionaire BMW heir urges Europe to do everything to help prevent Donald Trumps reelection - Fortune