A recent report states that while FBI officials opposed raiding the residence of former President Donald Trump, prosecutors from the Department of Justice (DOJ) persisted with the aggressive strategy and ultimately succeeded, the Daily Wire reported Friday.

The FBI’s unprecedented raid of Donald Trump’s residence in August drew significant criticism, with many Republicans claiming that it was further proof that the DOJ has become politicized and that the FBI has been weaponized against Republicans, particularly the former president.

The Washington Post reported that the FBI expected a negative reaction to the raid, with two senior officials who led the operation expressing their opposition due to the anticipated backlash. These officials believed that the raid was unnecessary, preferring instead to work with Trump and his legal team to obtain classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago, the Daily Wire noted.

The FBI was cautious about being perceived as overly aggressive in politically charged cases, particularly after its handling of Hillary Clinton’s email investigation in 2016 and the inquiry into Trump’s alleged ties to Russia, which led to special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation that produced no conclusive evidence.

However, DOJ prosecutors had a different perspective. They contended that Trump should not receive special treatment, and that the classified documents at Mar-a-Lago posed an urgent security risk. The prosecutors believed that prompt action was required to secure the classified information before it was relocated, the Post noted.

A week prior to the August 8 raid, DOJ officials and prosecutors held a meeting with FBI officials, including Steven D’Antuono, who was then in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and eventually led the Mar-a-Lago raid. During the meeting, D’Antuono contested the prosecutors’ argument that the raid was required and raised concerns about the extent of the search warrant. He also inquired whether Trump was the focus of a criminal investigation, the reports said.

According to The Post, Jay Bratt, the DOJ’s counterintelligence chief, and several others supported the raid. The prosecutors ultimately prevailed, persuading top FBI officials and Attorney General Merrick Garland to approve the raid.

The day after the meeting, Deputy FBI Director Paul Abbate directed D’Antuono to lead the raid on Trump’s residence. Criticism of the bureau emerged immediately and intensified following the revelation that classified documents were in President Biden’s possession last month.

D’Antuono retired from the FBI in November of last year, having been involved in some of the bureau’s most contentious actions in recent times. Prior to his role as head of the Washington Field Office, he was in charge of the Detroit Field Office and oversaw the bureau’s months-long operation against a group of militia members who attempted to abduct Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Following that, D’Antuono took over the Washington Field Office and supervised the FBI’s inquiry into the January 6 Capitol insurrection.