Attorney general says 'personally approved' Trump home search

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said that he had "personally approved" the search of Donald Trump's Florida home, and condemned "unfounded attacks" on the FBI following the unprecedented action against an ex-president.

Garland did not explain the reason for the search, but stressed there was "probable cause" and said he had asked a court to make the case's documents public.

"I personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant in this matter," he told reporters. "The department does not take such a decision lightly."

The extraordinary FBI raid this week on Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence has sparked a political firestorm in an already bitterly divided country and comes as he is weighing another White House run.

Leading Republicans have rallied around the former president, who was not present when the raid took place.

Since leaving office, Trump has remained the country's most divisive figure and a force in the Republican party, continuing to sow falsehoods that he actually won the 2020 vote.

Trump also has condemned the raid as politically motivated and a "weaponization" of the Justice Department.

"Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before," Trump said.

Trump was impeached for a historic second time by the House after the Capitol riot -- he was charged with inciting an insurrection -- but was acquitted by the Senate.