Unsealed records reveal that the US special counsel investigating Donald Trump obtained a secret search warrant for the former president's Twitter data in January. Jack Smith requested "data
and records" linked to Mr. Trump's account, potentially including unpublished posts. Initially resisting the warrant, Twitter eventually complied but missed the court-ordered deadline by three days. The delay led to the company being fined $350,000 for contempt of court.
The existence of the search warrant and the legal battle over it were disclosed in court documents unsealed on Wednesday. As per the unsealed ruling, with some redactions still in place, Twitter's lawyers did not oppose the warrant itself but contested the nondisclosure order that kept it secret. Under Elon Musk's ownership, the company is now known as X. It argued that it should be permitted to inform customers whose accounts are subject to search warrants. X provided the data in February but appealed the fine. However, a US appeals court dismissed its case last month.
The documents offer little insight into what Mr. Smith was specifically seeking, noting only that the warrant instructed the company "to produce data and records" related to Mr. Trump's account.
The US congressional panel investigating the Capitol riot on 6 January 2021 found that Mr. Trump had drafted a tweet urging his supporters to come to Washington but never sent it. The tweet read: "I will be making a Big Speech at 10 a.m. on January 6th at the Ellipse (South of the White House). Please arrive early, massive crowds expected. March to the Capitol after. Stop the steal!" The @realdonaldtrump account, boasting 86.5 million followers, was suspended after the riot. It was reinstated in November 2022 following a poll conducted by Mr. Musk, asking users if the former president should be allowed back on the platform.
Since the reinstatement, Mr. Trump has not posted on X, choosing instead to use his own social network, Truth Social. Experts have pointed out that Mr. Trump's Truth Social contracts might result in significant losses if he resumes posting on X. Mr. Trump responded to news of the search warrant on Truth Social, stating that it was a "major 'hit' on my civil rights... These are DARK DAYS IN AMERICA!" He faces charges in two investigations led by Mr. Smith—one related to events following the 2020 election and the other concerning the handling of classified documents. Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, Wikimedia commons.