Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson defends FBI in Mar-a-Lago search

Gov. Asa Hutchinson defended the FBI as simply doing its job when agents seized boxes from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence. He made the comments Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

What he’s saying: “We cannot say that whenever they went in and did that search that they were not doing their job as law enforcement officers,” the Republican governor told Brianna Keilar.

• “The FBI is simply carrying out their responsibilities under the law — a lawful search warrant that a magistrate signed off on,” he said.

Driving the news: Some Republicans are making political hay out of the search, while federal agencies are sounding the alarm on an increase in threats on law enforcement.

“Let’s support law enforcement. Let’s stand with them, whether it’s the DEA, the FBI or your local law enforcement,” Hutchinson said. “[It’s] critically important that we do that because they’re simply trying to do their job and to keep anarchy away from our country.”

Yes, and: Keilar also asked Hutchinson about improving health care for women and babies following the state’s near-total abortion ban.

• “Our infant mortality rate is not where it should be … and so we want to expand Medicaid coverage health care services for that mom with that young child in their home to increase the chances of survivability and better health outcomes both for the mom and both for the child,” he said.

Flashback: Hutchinson announced last week the state requested a waiver to expand maternal health care services at rural hospitals through Arkansas’ Medicaid program.