Biden Administration Hands Over Trump, Pence Phones to FBI Amid 2020 Election Probe
The Biden White House handed over government cellphones used by former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence to the FBI in May 2022, as part of an investigation into the 2020 election.
In a move that has sparked controversy, the Biden administration facilitated the transfer of government-issued cellphones belonging to former President Donald Trump and former Vice President Mike Pence to the FBI. This action, taken in early May 2022, was in connection with the FBI’s investigation into the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, code-named ‘Arctic Frost.’ The investigation was initiated by former FBI agent Timothy Thibault, who has been criticized for his alleged anti-Trump bias and unauthorized opening of the case.
Sources familiar with the investigation revealed to Fox News Digital that the FBI did not require a warrant to obtain the devices from the White House. However, once in possession of the phones, the FBI began drafting a search warrant to extract the data contained within them. The phones were officially entered as evidence in the FBI’s ongoing probe, which later transitioned to the oversight of special counsel Jack Smith in November 2022.
The decision by the Biden administration, specifically the Office of White House Counsel led by Dana Remus and Jonathan Su, to cooperate with the FBI has raised questions about political motivations. A source close to the investigation described it as a ‘gotcha’ scheme against Trump, suggesting that the move was politically driven rather than based on sufficient legal predication.
The investigation, which began on April 13, 2022, saw heightened activity as the FBI scheduled numerous interviews and coordinated with multiple field offices across the country. Revelations about the investigation came to light through legally protected whistleblower disclosures, which were shared with Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson.
Grassley and Johnson have been vocal critics of the FBI and DOJ’s handling of investigations related to Trump, and they have demanded transparency and accountability from the agencies. They sent the whistleblower disclosures to Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel, urging them to address the alleged corruption within the DOJ and FBI.
The controversy surrounding the phones and the broader investigation into Trump’s actions post-2020 election continues to fuel debates about the impartiality of federal law enforcement and the potential for political bias in high-profile investigations.