The history of Donald Trump's presidency is enriched by another inglorious first: Not only is he the first president to face impeachment twice and the first to staunchly reject the outcome of a democratic election.
Now he's also the first former president whose home has been the subject of an FBI raid--in fact, a raid that requires top-level federal sanctions.
Politically, this is a nuisance for Trump, also because he is already at the center of numerous other legal disputes.
The question, however, is whether it will harm him - or whether it is grist to his mill.
Republicans in their element
The former president went straight on the offensive.
He himself made the search public and immediately presented himself as a victim of political persecution.
Media loyal to him gratefully picked up the story, as did numerous Republicans.
Trump's competitor for the presidential candidacy, Ron DeSantis, also spoke of a "banana republic".
Of course, it remains to be seen what the results of the raid will be.
But regardless, Trump and his Republicans will do everything in their power to capitalize on the search — and embed it in the grand narrative of political persecution.