On Tuesday, Politico reported that Republicans feel boxed in by their constant efforts to defend former President Donald Trump from the FBI investigation into highly classified information stored in boxes as his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida — as new revelations continue to pour out of the investigation that makes Trump's actions appear less and less defensible.

"After having decried the FBI’s search of the ex-president’s home, many Trump defenders went silent upon the release on Friday of the probable-cause affidavit that revealed the extent of Trump’s efforts to hold onto the top-secret documents," reported Meridith McGraw, Andrew Desiderio, Nicholas Wu, and Kyle Cheney. "GOP worries about the developments of the case and Trump announcing a 2024 run before November are giving way to a subtle, broader warning about putting the former president too much on the ballot this fall."

One of the most prominent Republicans pushing this line is Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), who has generated controversy for warning "there will be riots in the street" if the former president is prosecuted.