Newly declassified memos reveal that former special counsel Jack Smith’s team monitored contacts involving President Donald Trump’s lawyers, campaign advisers, staff members and journalists during the 2024 campaign through a secret operation codenamed Plasmic Echo.

Investigators used a pen register and trap-and-trace device to track calls coming to and from the phone of Trump chief of staff Susie Wiles. The records were released Monday by the White House Government Transparency Task Force.

The operation followed Smith’s acquisition of phone records belonging to several senators through a subpoena. A court non-disclosure order prevented the mobile carrier from notifying the affected lawmakers, according to reporting by Just the News.

NEW MEMOS: JACK SMITH TEAM TRACKED CALLS INVOLVING TRUMP’S LAWYERS, JOURNALISTS AND ADVISERS

Newly declassified memos reveal investigators used a pen register on Susie Wiles’ phone to track incoming and outgoing calls during the classified-documents probe. The data allegedly swept in communications involving Trump’s defense attorneys, journalists and campaign advisers — while Trump was running against President Biden. The operation was reportedly approved at the highest levels of the Biden DOJ. - @JustTheNews reports — Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) October 5, 2026

Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., was among those lawmakers. She filed a lawsuit against Smith, arguing that the surveillance represented an unauthorized intrusion into her civil rights.

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The latest documents show FBI agents assigned to Smith’s team using broad data-gathering tactics during the 2024 election. Investigators monitored calls, social media activity, political endorsements, and other activities while examining Trump’s handling of classified documents after his first term.

The three-year investigation was approved by senior Biden Justice Department officials, including Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco and FBI Director Christopher Wray, the memos show.

In March 2022, Wray sent Garland and Monaco a memorandum seeking approval to open a “Sensitive Investigative Matter” that later became Plasmic Echo. Monaco wrote, “I recommend you approve,” and added her initials before Garland approved the request days later.

NEW: DECLASSIFIED FBI Probe "PLASMIC ECHO"

- Appears to use FBI investigative tool known as a "Pen Register" to target phone calls of then campaign manager @SusieWiles47 - Allegedly tracked nearly two dozen defense attorneys, five journalists, @FLOTUS, political advisers including @FBIDirectorKash - Administration official characterizes as "intrusive tactics" by special counsel Jack Smith team - Probe laid groundwork for classified records case against President Trump Pen Register Trap and Trace or PRTT - Surveillance tool collects non-content routing data - Phone numbers dialed or received - Call times and duration Two Scenarios - Used for criminal and national security investigations - lower standard than probable-cause warrant Potential Violations - First (Freedom of Speech) and Fourth Amendments (unreasonable search and seizure) NOTE: Former Senior FBI agent says it looks like a classic FBI "tickle the wire" operation. After FBI agents contact Wiles, the bureau tracks phone calls to identify who she immediately contacts "On 10 April 2023, FBI WFO (Washington Field Office) reviewed WILES's telephonic activity to determine contacts of interest on the date of her FBI interview." Declassified records via @WhiteHouse transparency task force — Catherine Herridge (@C__Herridge) October 5, 2026

The records also show concern inside the FBI’s Washington, D.C. Field Office. A senior counterintelligence official and his team questioned whether agents had sufficient justification to search Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate and favored a less invasive approach.

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“WFO does not believe (and has articulated to DOJ CES), that we have established probable cause for the search warrant at Mar-a-Lago. DOJ has opined that they do, requesting a wide scope including residence, office, storage space,” an Assistant Special Agent in Charge wrote in a July 13, 2023, update.

That official proposed alternatives, including speaking directly with Trump and his counsel. The agent wrote that the Washington Field Office had repeatedly suggested recovering documents through another method, but that the Justice Department “has persistently disagreed.”

Smith has denied wrongdoing and rejected claims that politics influenced his investigation. During congressional testimony last week, he told the Senate Judiciary Committee that he would not allow political considerations to affect his work.

“Anybody who has worked with me and knows me during the course of my career knows that I would not let politics play a role,” Smith said. “And I would just add that if you knew the people I worked with, they would not either.”

The memos show investigators tracing Wiles’ calls and text messages with at least 21 lawyers connected to Trump, numerous campaign workers, political advisers and at least five journalists from at least February through May 2023.

Most names were redacted, although current FBI Director Kash Patel and Just the News founder John Solomon were identified. One intelligence analyst reported that an ABC News journalist had called Wiles for 2 minutes and 36 seconds in late February.

SOLOMON: NEW JACK SMITH RECORDS REVEAL ‘SIGNIFICANT BOMBSHELLS’

@jsolomonReports says newly released records show the FBI tracked calls between Trump’s legal team and Susie Wiles—as well as journalists and campaign activity. “More to come out in the next few days.” https://t.co/mV7Uk5gH9P — Real America's Voice (RAV) (@RealAmVoice) October 5, 2026

Agents also reviewed Wiles’ telephone activity surrounding her April 7, 2023, FBI interview in Jacksonville, Florida. A memorandum dated April 10 said the Washington Field Office reviewed her activity to identify “contacts of interest” on the interview date.

The records show investigators examining filings from Trump’s political action committee, including donor information and campaign expenses. They also established a social media monitoring effort and reviewed political endorsements involving former Trump National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien.

On February 6, 2023, a Smith team member asked the FBI to examine O’Brien’s social media activity and determine whether he had endorsed Trump again. Smith subpoenaed O’Brien two days later to participate in the investigation.

The White House released a 72-page Federal Election Commission Form 3X from Trump’s Save America PAC. The document detailed the committee’s receipts, disbursements, donors, and vendors.

Solomon is serving as an unpaid Special Government Employee and chairman of the White House Government Transparency Task Force. He has taken a leave of absence as editor-in-chief of Just the News while serving in that role.

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