The BBC has spoken to former US district attorney for Idaho Wendy Olson for her take on what’s been going on.

She says for the search to have been carried out, there must be “current probable cause”.

Probable cause is a standard in US law that must be reached before an officer can conduct a search, obtain a warrant or make an arrest - relating to the probability that a reasonable person would believe a crime had been committed.

“The information can’t be stale, so there is evidence suggesting that some materials are still there at Mar-a-Lago, or at least were at the time the judge signed off on the search warrant," Olson says.

Asked if it was politically motivated, Olson says no, adding the warrant would have been subject to a “rigorous application”, signed off and vetted by those at the “highest levels” of the Department of Justice and FBI.

This includes, she says, FBI director Chris Wray – who Trump appointed – and “straight shooter” attorney general Merrick Garland.

Image source, REUTERS/Marco Bello

Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor based in Chicago, has been speaking to the BBC about why the FBI's move is noteworthy.

If the FBI gets a search warrant it has to "actually... demonstrate that those documents are evidence of a crime", he says.

Mariotti says the FBI's raid on former US President Donald Trump's Florida home is "such a significant step" and expenditure of resources that it will "draw a lot of attention to the department".

It's unlikely the justice department would make a move like this "unless you believe that your investigation is going to go somewhere", he says.

Staff at the White House residency sometimes found wads of paper clogging a toilet while Trump was President, a forthcoming book will claim.

In Confidence Man, New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman will report that staff believed President Trump was the flusher.

Haberman has obtained photos she says show paper in a toilet bowl at the White House.

Peter Bowes
North America correspondent

There is a school of thought that the timing of this search is designed to avoid the long-held maxim that the Justice Department does not engage in actions that are deemed politically sensitive, near the time of an election.

We are exactly three months away from the poll that will determine the makeup of the next Congress, and rarely has there been such a sensitive time in American politics.

The November result will determine Joe Biden’s ability to get things done in the next two years of his presidency and could mark the start of another Trump campaign.

The former president certainly believes the motives behind the “raid” were entirely political, a move designed to scupper his chances of running for the White House in 2024.

There is much that we do not know, but Trump’s supporters are apoplectic with rage at what’s happened.

It is an open question why a search warrant was needed to enter Mar-a-Lago when the former president said he had been cooperating with the relevant government agencies, but it is a hugely significant move by the Justice Department.

If you're just joining us, here's a quick round-up of what's been going on:

• Donald Trump says FBI agents "raided" his Florida home on Monday
• Trump says they broke into a safe at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, calling it a "weaponisation of the Justice System"
• The former president was in Trump Tower in New York City at the time of the reported search
• Eric Trump, the former president's second-oldest son, told Fox News the FBI's execution of the search warrant on his father's Mar-a-Lago estate was related to an investigation into the handling of National Archives records

• In February, the National Archives, the US government agency that manages the preservation of presidential records, asked the justice department to investigate Trump for his handling of official papers
• US presidents are required by law to transfer all of their letters, work documents and emails to the National Archives
• At the time, the National Archives said it had retrieved 15 boxes from Mar-a-Lago, some of which contained classified records
• Trump is preparing for a possible third presidential run in 2024

We'll bring you more details as they come in.

Image source, Getty Images

Here’s more of Trump’s statement:

“These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents.

"Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before. After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate.

"It is prosecutorial misconduct, the weaponization of the Justice System, and an attack by Radical Left Democrats who desperately don’t want me to run for President in 2024, especially based on recent polls, and who will likewise do anything to stop Republicans and Conservatives in the upcoming Midterm Elections.

"Such an assault could only take place in broken, Third-World Countries. Sadly, America has now become one of those Countries, corrupt at a level not seen before.

"They even broke into my safe! What is the difference between this and Watergate, where operatives broke into the Democrat National Committee? Here, in reverse, Democrats broke into the home of the 45th President of the United States."

Former state department official David Tafuri has been talking to the BBC about the importance of keeping classified documents on site.

Earlier, Eric Trump - Trump's second son - told Fox News that his father saves clippingssuch as press clippings or "notes from us".

"When the president moves out the White House, you have effectively six hours to move out the White House," he said. “My father saves clippings and things like that. So he had, he had boxes, right when he moved out of the White House."

He added that his father has been "very collaborative" and has had an "open-door policy" for anyone who wanted to search.

The search of Trump's home is a "jaw-dropping, hair-raising, eye-popping moment", says the BBC's former North America editor.

Jon Sopel describes it as an astonishingly striking move by an attorney general.

Any search of a private residence would have to be approved by a judge and would also likely have been approved by the FBI director as well as his boss Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Sopel also points out that Trump would have had Secret Service officials at Mar-A-Lago - and wonders what would have happened, whether they would have sought to protect the president or helped with the search.

"Do they outrank the FBI and say ‘no, you can’t open his safe?’ Or do the FBI just say ‘get out of our way’?"

An unnamed law enforcement official earlier told CBS that the Secret Service was notified shortly before the warrant was served around 10:00 (14:00 GMT), and that agents protecting Mr Trump helped the FBI investigators.

Image source, Getty Images

News of the search has mobilised some of Donald Trump's supporters.

A group of fans gathered outside Mar-a-Lago to wave flags and express their anger at what the former president called a "raid" on his Florida home.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Stephanie Grisham - a former White House press secretary under Donald Trump - says he "did not handle classified documents properly".

She told CNN: "I watched him do it... I was sat in an airplane with him, watched him go through documents, throw some away, rip some up and put some in his pocket.

"Because I remember specifically thinking I wonder why those go in his pocket."

Officials have previously made the same claim, that the former president illegally ripped up many documents. In a statement at the time, he said he had been cooperating with the National Archives on the investigation.

The White House has said it had no advance information of Monday's search.

"No advance knowledge," a senior White House official told CBS News., external "Some (in the White House) learned from old media, some from social media," said the senior official, who was not authorised to speak publicly about the matter.

Earlier, Trump's son Eric accused Joe Biden's White House of being behind the search.

Image source, Getty Images

Conservatives are in uproar over the FBI search, with many supporting Trump's belief that the move was politicised.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called it "another escalation in the weaponisation of federal agencies against the Regime’s political opponents".

"Banana Republic," added DeSantis, who political commentators say may be gearing up to run against Trump in 2024.

Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio tweeted: "After today's raid on Mar-a-Lago what do you think the left plans to use those 87,000 new IRS agents for?" He was referring to the expansion of the US tax agency under the spending plan approved by the Senate on Sunday.

The Republican members of the House of Representatives Judiciary committee tweeted: "If they can do it to a former President, imagine what they can do to you.

"Doesn’t the FBI have better things to do than harass the former PRESIDENT?"

House of Representatives Republican minority leader Kevin McCarthy sent a shot across the bows of Attorney General Merrick Garland.

"I've seen enough," said the California congressman. "The Department of Justice has reached an intolerable state of weaponised politicisation.

"When Republicans take back the House we will conduct immediate oversight of this department, follow the facts, and leave no stone unturned."

Image source, Reuters

In the last few hours we've heard from US representative Carolyn Maloney - the chair of the House Oversight Committee - who initiated an investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents.

“Presidents have a solemn duty to protect America’s national security, and allegations that former President Trump put our security at risk by mishandling classified information warrant the utmost scrutiny," she said, according to US media.

She said she was "committed to getting to the bottom of President Trump's potentially serious misconduct and advancing critical reforms to prevent these abuses in the future and protect our national security".

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform is the main investigative committee in the US House of Representatives.

Image source, EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

If you're just joining us, we've been bringing you the news that FBI agents have carried out a search of Donald Trump's home in Mar-a-Lago, Florida.

We don't have confirmation from the FBI or US government - but Trump has released a statement about the raid. In it, he says:

• His home was "raided" by a "large group of FBI agents"
• They broke into his safe, and he compares it to the Watergate scandal
• He had been working and co-operating with government agencies - and the raid was "not necessary or appropriate"
• He claims it is a politically motivated bid to try and stop him from running for president again in 2024

We don't have any official confirmation yet of the search or why it happened. But sources have told CBS that it relates to an investigation into Mr Trump's handling of National Archives records. In February, an investigation began into this.

Eric Trump, his second son, also later said the search was in relation to the National Archives records. But he said his dad had been very collaborative.

Image source, Getty Images

So what's the basis for the FBI search at Mar-a-Lago?

Federal laws governing the handling of classified records make it a crime to remove such material and keep it at an unauthorised location.

In February, the National Archives, the US government agency that manages the preservation of presidential records, asked the justice department to investigate Trump for his handling of official papers.

The National Archives said it had retrieved 15 boxes from Mar-a-Lago, some of which contained classified records.

US presidents are required by law to transfer all of their letters, work documents and emails to the National Archives. But officials say the former president illegally ripped up many documents.

Some of them had to be taped back together, the Archives said. Trump has previously maintained that presidential records were turned over “in an ordinary and routine process”.

Trump's alleged flouting of presidential record-keeping laws has previously come under scrutiny amid reports he often ripped up documents and memos after reading them and apparently flushed paper down the White House toilet.

The soggy paper was discovered when repairmen were called to fix the clogged commodes, according to US media reports.

Image source, Getty Images

Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer – who is the Senate majority leader – says he doesn’t know any more about the Mar-a-Lago search than what he’s read in the news.

“Well I know nothing about it other than what I've read like everybody else, so I think it's wise for me to withhold comment until we learn more,” he tells MSNBC., external

Pressed further, Schumer adds: “Look, I think none of us know the facts and any comments are premature.”

Image source, Getty Images

Mar-a-Lago, located in Palm Beach, Florida, is a resort that was built by American businesswoman Marjorie Merriweather Post. It opened in 1927.

Trump bought Mar-a-Lago in 1985. He paid about $10m for the estate, and Forbes valued it in 2018 at $160m.

Over the years Trump has spent part of his winters there. He called it the Winter White House.

Upon leaving the White House in January 2021, he moved in.

He generally spends summers at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, because Mar-a-Lago usually closes in May for the summer.

The whole of the property covers about 20 acres, and it is the second-largest mansion in the state of Florida.

A section of the estate is kept private for the Trump family's personal use.

The joiner's fee for the exclusive club is about $200,000 and membership is $14,000 per year after that, according to reports.

Image source, Getty Images

Donald Trump’s second son Eric has been speaking to Fox News about the FBI search, which he criticised and blamed on Joe Biden’s administration.

“All of a sudden, 30 agents descend upon Mar-a-Lago,” he said.

“This didn't come from the local FBI field office in in Palm Beach, Florida. You know who this came from. This came from one place and one building and that is the White House in Washington DC. They want to attack a guy who they view is [Biden’s] greatest threat.”

The White House has said it had no advance knowledge of the search.

Eric Trump said the search was related to an investigation into the handling of National Archives records - and that his dad has been collaborative.

In February, the National Archives - the US government agency that manages the preservation of presidential records - asked the justice department to investigate Mr Trump for his handling of official papers.

“My father has worked so collaboratively with them for months," said Eric Trump - adding that his dad had an "open door policy".

“When the president moves out the White House you have effectively six hours to move out the White House," added Eric Trump.

“My father saves clippings and things like that. So he had, he had boxes, right when he moved out of the White House, and he was very collaborative," he said.

Image source, Getty Images

Welcome to our live coverage of the FBI search on former President Donald Trump’s home, Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida.

The raid was reportedly part of an investigation into whether Trump brought classified records from the White House, external to his Florida residence.

Neither the Department of Justice nor the FBI has officially confirmed the search occurred.

The White House says it had no advance knowledge of it.

But here’s how it went down, according to law enforcement sources off the record.

• The US Secret Service were alerted by the FBI shortly before the warrant was officially served
• The Secret Service verified the warrant, then allowed the FBI to enter
• The FBI entered the golf club at 10:00 local time (14:00 GMT) on Monday. They left in the late afternoon, taking a number of boxes
• The Secret Service established control again after FBI left