Federal investigators probing the 2020 presidential election reportedly obtained phone records from the White House, one of which belongs to former President Donald J. Trump, revealed in a late Monday court filing by special counsel Jack Smith. The disclosure suggests the records could serve as evidence in the forthcoming trial.
A so-called “Expert 3”, who analyzed phone usage during the post-election period, may testify about the findings. These likely include when phone was unlocked and had active Twitter engagement on January 6.
The unnamed technical witness also reviewed digital data such as images and website history from the ex-president’s phone and another owned by an individual, identified as Trump’s former lawyer and former Mayor of New York, Rudy Giuliani.
Trump faces four criminal charges, including a conspiracy to defraud the U.S. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. Giuliani, named as “Individual 1” in the indictment, remains uncharged.
Extent of Analysis.
However, it remains unclear to what extent Smith had access to Trump’s phones. He admits in the filing to using images, websites, and locations on Google. But he does not suggest whether he accessed communications or anything else usually protected by executive privilege.
It is also uncertain whether the information implicated Trump directly. The former President’s phones were often managed by others including his social media manager, Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino.
Details in the court document come in response to a query about expert witnesses for the trial scheduled to begin March 4, 2024. Two additional digital data experts may testify, revealing patterns in the movement of crowds on January 6.
This is not the first time Trump’s phone usage has been part of inquiry into his post-election actions. Internal White House records show a 7-hour, 37-minute gap in Trump’s official phone logs on the day of the Capitol building breach.
