FBI Sought Extensive Records on Kash Patel in Trump Investigation, Documents Reveal
Newly disclosed documents have revealed that the FBI investigation into Kash Patel, the current FBI director who was a private citizen at the time, was significantly more extensive than previously reported. The probe, which began in 2022 under Special Counsel Jack Smith, sought over two years of personal data including phone records, text messages, and financial information.
Grand Jury Subpoenas Target Communications
According to grand jury subpoenas and nondisclosure orders reviewed by Reuters, Smith's team issued these demands to Verizon Communications, specifically targeting Patel's communications. This action was part of Smith's broader inquiry into whether former President Donald Trump interfered with the 2020 election and concealed classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.
The precise nature of Smith's investigation into Patel, and any specific allegations of wrongdoing, remains unclear. However, the newly released documents show the scope was substantial.
Comprehensive Data Requests
The documents reveal that investigators sought not only phone records and text messages but also mailing and email addresses, billing and IP addresses, and bank account information. One subpoena requested records from January 1, 2021 to November 23, 2023, while another covered October 1, 2020 through February 22, 2023.
The requests included records of calls and texts sent and received, session times, call durations, and subscriber information associated with Patel's accounts. Importantly, they did not seek the actual contents of phone calls or messages themselves.
Political Context and Disclosure
These documents concerning Patel were authorized for public release by Republican Senators Charles Grassley, Ron Johnson, and Ted Cruz. Their disclosure comes just before a subcommittee hearing scheduled for Tuesday focusing on Smith's investigation, which was code-named Arctic Frost.
"My oversight of Arctic Frost has proven the more you dig, the more you find," said Grassley, the Republican chairman of the subcommittee probing Smith's investigation.
Legal Framework and Responses
U.S. Magistrate Judge James Mazzone issued a nondisclosure order on November 30, 2022 in the Patel probe, stating the court had "reasonable grounds to believe that disclosure will result in flight from prosecution, destruction of or tampering with evidence, intimidation of potential witnesses and serious jeopardy to the investigation."
FBI spokesman Ben Williamson told Reuters the records show improper actions by Smith and the FBI at the time. "The FBI under prior leadership was weaponized in ways the American people are only now beginning to fully grasp," Williamson said.
A spokesman for Smith did not respond to a request for comment. He previously told Congress that his investigators were concerned about possible obstruction of justice and that his office followed Justice Department policies, observed legal requirements, and took actions based on facts and law.
Broader Investigation Context
Reuters previously reported that Smith's team had also subpoenaed the phone records of White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles while she was a private citizen involved in Trump's campaign to reclaim the presidency in 2024. It remains unclear whether the investigation into Wiles was more extensive than previously reported.
Democrats in Congress have defended Smith from previous GOP criticisms, saying he acted appropriately in seeking phone records and other evidence necessary to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by Trump and his associates. They note it is not unusual for investigators to seek phone and other records, even of prominent people, while gathering facts about a case.
Patel's Role and Immunity
Patel publicly stated in 2022 that Trump had declassified the documents taken to Mar-a-Lago, a claim prosecutors disputed and Trump's lawyers did not make in court. Patel was summoned before a grand jury hearing evidence in the case that year after he was given limited immunity from criminal charges.
Reuters could not determine whether Verizon complied with Smith's requests or how that information was used. Verizon did not respond to a request for comment. Former FBI director Christopher Wray, who ran the bureau during Smith's investigation, also did not respond to a request for comment.
