Pence expresses 'deep concern' over Mar-a-Lago search, asks for 'full accounting' from Garland

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WASHINGTON - Many Republicans are rallying around former President Donald Trump after the FBI search on his Mar-a-Lago estate – some more aggressively than others.

While House GOP leader Kevin McCarthy and other Republicans vowed to investigate the Department of Justice over the search, Vice President Mike Pence issued a tweet expressing his "concern" over the incident.

"I share the deep concern of millions of Americans over the unprecedented search of the personal residence of President Trump," Pence tweeted.

Pence, who like Trump is considering a 2024 presidential run, also tweeted that some FBI agents "were found to be acting on political motivation" during the Trump administration.

In what looked a carefully worded series of tweets, Pence tweeted that Attorney General Merrick Garland "must give a full accounting to the American people as to why this action was taken and he must do so immediately."

The latest:Ex-Bush AG Gonzales says Mar-a-Lago search likely had approval from ‘highest level’- live updates

The background:What's happening at Trump's Mar-a-Lago home? Was the FBI there? Answers to your questions

Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Young Americas Foundation's National Conservative Student Conference on July 26.
Former Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Young Americas Foundation's National Conservative Student Conference on July 26.

What did McConnell, McCarthy say?

Other Republicans, including Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, had not commented at all as of Tuesday midday.

At the end of the day, McConnell issued a terse statement that did not mention Trump by name: "The country deserves a thorough and immediate explanation of what led to the events of Monday. Attorney General Garland and the Department of Justice should already have provided answers to the American people and must do so immediately."

In pledging to investigate should Republicans win the House, McCarthy issued a starker message to Attorney General Garland: "Preserve your documents and clear your calendar."

Declaring that "I've had enough," McCarthy said the Justice Department has reached "an intolerable state of weaponized politicization."

Democrats, for the most part, said the search was totally justified, given Trump's troubling history of handling classified information, the subject of the Justice Department's inquiry.

"No person is above the law," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on NBC's "Today" show.

A breakdown of the Trump investigations: Trump in midst of gathering storm of investigations. Mar-a-Lago document inquiry is one of many.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pence expresses 'concern' over Trump search, asks Garland to explain