FBI Monitored Trump Family Travel and Calls During Classified Documents Investigation

<p>The FBI monitored the travel of First Lady Melania Trump and Barron Trump, as well as the phone calls of Susie Wiles, who is set to be President Trump's Chief of Staff, during an investigation into classified documents, according to newly declassified records released by the White House.</p><p>The documents detail a probe named "Plasmic Echo," which was later led by special counsel Jack Smith to determine whether Trump improperly retained classified documents after leaving office. The records indicate that agents tracked the travel of the First Lady and First Son while preparing for the search of Mar-a-Lago and monitored Wiles' calls with defense lawyers, campaign advisers, and journalists.</p><p>The surveillance reportedly collected call details but did not capture the contents of the conversations.</p><p>White House spokesperson Lauren Bis criticized the surveillance, stating, "Jack Smith’s surveillance operation was a disgraceful abuse of government power. Spying on political opponents is weaponization of law enforcement, plain and simple. Those responsible must be held accountable."</p><p>The release of these documents follows a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing where Smith faced scrutiny over his investigative methods in a separate probe regarding Trump's actions related to the 2020 election. This investigation, referred to as "Arctic Frost," involved the collection of phone records from Republican lawmakers, while the newly released records pertain to the classified documents investigation that led to the FBI's search of Mar-a-Lago in 2022.</p><p>This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.</p>