Attorney General Merrick Garland said Thursday that he “personally approved the decision to seek a search warrant” for former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort . The Justice Department filed a motion earlier in that very same day to make the warrant public, and Trump did not oppose the motion.

At a news conference, Garland said the department “does not take such actions lightly” and first pursues “less intrusive” means to retrieve material. Garland stated Trump had the “right” to reveal Monday’s FBI search of his property and that all Americans are entitled to a presumption of innocence.

NBC News‘ lengthy report notes:

Garland added that the Justice Department has asked to make public the property receipt detailing what agents found inside the Trump property.

Trump’s attorneys had until 3 p.m. Friday to oppose the government’s motion to unseal the warrant. But Just before midnight, Trump said on his social media platform that he would not oppose the government’s motion.

“Not only will I not oppose the release of documents related to the unAmerican, unwarranted, and unnecessary raid and break-in of my home in Palm Beach, Florida, Mar-a-Lago, I am going a step further by ENCOURAGING the immediate release of those documents,” Trump said.

Taking to his Truth Social Media platform, Trump responded to Garland: “The government could have had whatever they wanted, if we had it,” he wrote. “Out of nowhere, and with no warning, Mar-a-Lago was raided” by “VERY large numbers of agents, and even ‘safecrackers.’ They got way ahead of themselves. Crazy!”

The Justice Department’s motion filed Thursday “does not seek to make public the affidavit of probable cause, which includes the FBI’s justification for searching Mar-a-Lago” reports NBC News.

“According to the court filing, a federal judge signed off on the search warrant last Friday. The filing notes that Trump and his lawyers have copies of both the warrant and a ‘redacted Property Receipt listing items seized pursuant to the search’ — and that they can object to the public release of those documents.”

“Given the intense public interest presented by a search of a residence of a former President, the government believes these factors favor unsealing the search warrant” and related materials, the filing says. “That said, the former President should have an opportunity to respond to this Motion and lodge objections, including with regards to any ‘legitimate privacy interests’ or the potential for other ‘injury’ if these materials are made public.”

The next step is for Justice Department officials to meet with Trump’s lawyers and determine whether he intends to fight disclosure of the warrant and the property receipt, according to an order Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart issued Thursday. The Justice Department must file a notice by 3 p.m. ET Friday to inform the judge of the Trump team’s intentions.