New Docs Reveal FBI Effort To Entrap Trump Came From Top Brass…
Newly released documents show senior FBI and Justice Department officials approved the classified documents investigation into former President Donald Trump, including surveillance of his advisers and lawyers.
Declassified records from the FBI’s “Plasmic Echo” investigation reveal the scope of federal scrutiny surrounding Trump’s handling of government records after leaving the White House. The documents, analyzed by independent investigative journalist Catherine Herridge, contain details about phone metadata collection and surveillance operations conducted during the probe.
What the Documents Show
The records indicate FBI agents used surveillance tools to collect metadata on communications involving Trump advisers, including Susie Wiles, who later became Trump’s White House chief of staff, and Kash Patel, now director of the FBI. The metadata collection captured information about incoming and outgoing calls, their timing and duration, rather than the content of conversations themselves.
Investigators tracked Wiles’ contacts with at least 21 defense attorneys associated with Trump, political advisers, campaign figures and at least five journalists, according to the declassified material. Media organizations that appeared in the records included CNN, The Washington Post, Politico and Just the News.
A March 10 FBI memorandum detailed three pages of Wiles’ telephone contacts, and investigators interviewed her on April 7, 2023, showing her several pages of communications information. An entry from May 19 recorded a 16-minute, 11-second call from a number identified as Trump’s “vanity number” to Wiles.
Approval from Top Leadership
The documents show that authorization to conduct the investigation came from the highest levels of the FBI and Justice Department. A March 2022 memorandum bore the initials of then-FBI Director Chris Wray and then-Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco.
A handwritten notation from Monaco to Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “Merrick, I recommend you approve, Lisa 3/25/22.” The memorandum classified the matter as a “Sensitive Investigative Matter,” a designation used for investigations carrying heightened political or First Amendment concerns.
The partially redacted document specifically acknowledged the potential political consequences of investigating figures associated with the 45th president. It stated that Justice Department policy should be “broadly construed” to ensure department leadership knew about investigations that could potentially disrupt the democratic process if publicly disclosed before an election.
Mar-a-Lago Search Planning
The declassified files reveal extensive preparation before FBI agents executed a search warrant at Mar-a-Lago on August 8, 2022. Internal FBI communications instructed agents to establish the travel schedules of Trump, former first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron before the search.
One planning document called for agents to “finalize FBI understanding of FPOTUS/FLOTUS/minor son’s travel,” including aircraft information and specific timelines. Another internal communication stated that search warrants would be served after Trump departed Mar-a-Lago.
The operational plan identified the mission as locating and seizing classified information, national-defense information and U.S. government records. Agents recovered thousands of government documents during the search, including more than 100 documents bearing classification markings ranging from confidential to top secret.
Internal Disagreements and Aftermath
The newly declassified material shows internal disagreement between FBI investigators and Justice Department prosecutors before the search. Personnel in the FBI’s Washington Field Office raised concerns about whether sufficient probable cause existed to search Trump’s residence, while Justice Department prosecutors pushed forward with obtaining a warrant.
Special counsel Jack Smith was later appointed to take control of the investigation in November 2022. Trump was indicted on charges alleging he unlawfully retained national-defense information and obstructed government efforts to recover documents.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the classified-documents case in July 2024, concluding that Smith’s appointment violated the Constitution’s Appointments Clause. Smith initially appealed but abandoned the prosecution after Trump won the 2024 presidential election, citing longstanding Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting president.
This story has been updated. CNN’s research team contributed to this report.