The Federal Bureau of Investigation monitored travel details of former First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron, as well as tapped the cellphone of Susie Wiles, who would later become White House chief of staff, in connection with the investigation led by special counsel Jack Smith. The inquiry focused on whether former President Donald Trump unlawfully retained classified national security documents following the conclusion of his first term.
According to documents released by the White House on Monday, the FBI tracked the movements of Melania and Barron Trump during a period when agents were planning a search of the former president’s residence in Palm Beach, Florida. The surveillance of their travel was reportedly part of efforts to determine the most strategic timing for executing the search warrant.
In addition to monitoring the Trumps' travel, the bureau also intercepted communications on Wiles’ phone. This surveillance began after an FBI raid on Trump’s Florida property in August 2022 and was intended to capture any contacts between Wiles and Trump’s legal defense team, as they coordinated their response to the investigation.
The documents shed light on the scope of surveillance undertaken during the inquiry, illustrating the bureau’s multifaceted approach. The investigation by Smith’s team has been ongoing for several years, examining whether Trump improperly retained classified materials after leaving office and whether efforts were made to obstruct the inquiry.
The FBI’s activities, particularly the monitoring of individuals closely associated with Trump, have attracted scrutiny from various political and legal commentators. Supporters of the former president argue the surveillance was excessive and politically motivated, while officials involved in the probe maintain it was necessary to safeguard national security and ensure a thorough investigation.
The special counsel’s investigation remains active, although no charges have been publicly announced related to these specific surveillance actions. The White House’s release of documents provides new details on the law enforcement tactics employed in one of the most high-profile national security inquiries in recent years.