Smith's search warrant seeks the search history, direct messages and "content of all tweets created, drafted, favorited / liked, or retweeted" by Trump's Twitter – now X – account between October 2020 and January 2021.
Smith is also demanding a list of all devices used to log into Trump's Twitter account, as well as information about users who directly interacted with Trump's account in the months leading up to Jan. 6, 2021.
What Smith specifically wanted was a list of names for all Twitter users who "favorited or retweeted" Trump's tweets, "as well as all tweets that include the username associated with the account" in "mentions" or "replies."
The special counsel further asked for a list of every social media user that Trump "followed, unfollowed, muted, unmuted, blocked, or unblocked," as well as a full list of all users who took any of the same actions with Trump's account during the same timeframe.
"There is no benign or reasonable justification for that demand," wrote former Federal Bureau of Investigation agent and whistleblower Steve Friend.
Smith made all of these demands as part of the special counsel's "investigation into Trump's actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol." (Related: How the Democratic Party faked an American insurrection.)
Special counsel weaponizing government against Trump
Back in August, Smith formally filed a four-count indictment against Trump that accuses the former president of a massive criminal conspiracy to reverse the official outcome of the 2020 election, which declared Joe Biden the winner.
The special counsel's warrant was released after a number of media organizations filed a Freedom of Information Act request to obtain it. Eight of the 14 pages that make up the document are completely redacted, according to The New York Times.
Included in the warrant is a nondisclosure order telling the company not to notify Trump about the search. The Department of Justice argued that telling Trump would result in "statutorily cognizable harm."
X reportedly objected to the order, arguing unsuccessfully that it violated the First Amendment to the Constitution and the Stored Communications Act.
"For what appears to be the first time in its history, Twitter Inc. ('Twitter') has filed a motion to vacate or modify an order that it not disclose the existence of a search warrant," Smith said, adding that "there is reason to believe notification to the former president, a sophisticated actor with an expansive platform, would result in a statutorily cognizable harm."
In the end, X was forced to comply with the warrant. The social media platform was also fined for failing to meet Smith's demands by the stated deadline.
Since that time, Trump's legal team has appealed the order, calling it "unconstitutional." It also threatened to take the matter to the Supreme Court.
"The [Non-Disclosure Order] was granted based on facts showing that notifying the former president would result in destruction of or tampering with evidence, intimidation of potential witnesses, or other serious jeopardy to an investigation or delaying of trial," the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia said.
None of this is surprising considering the special counsel's weaponization of the government against Trump over the past several years. Back in September, Smith filed a motion to issue a gag order on Trump, which would stifle his First Amendment right to criticize the very government that is trying to silence him.
More related news can be found at Tyranny.news.
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