Brazen AG Merrick Garland says he 'personally approved' Mar-a-Lago search

The Justice Department has petitioned a judge to unseal the search warrant that led to the FBI's unannounced operation on Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort. 

Attorney General Merrick Garland made an in-person statement on Thursday afternoon after growing calls from Republicans for him to speak out about the FBI's unannounced search.

He said the DOJ moved to make the search warrant public 'in light of the former president's public confirmation of the search, the surrounding circumstances, and the substantial public interest in this matter.'

The attorney general also revealed that he personally approved officials' request to seek a search warrant. Garland took no questions but went out of his way to criticize the recent verbal attacks and threats against law enforcement in the wake of the 'raid.' 

'Let me address recent unfounded attacks on the professionalism of the FBI and Justice Department agents and prosecutors. I will not stand by silently when their integrity is unfairly attacked,' the Biden official said.