The FBI issued subpoenas for the phone records of current FBI Director Kash Patel and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles during 2022 and 2023, when both were private citizens, The Post has learned. The subpoenas were part of investigations conducted by special counsel Jack Smith into President Trump's handling of classified documents and his alleged efforts to interfere in the 2020 presidential election.

Records belonging to two of the most powerful figures in the current Trump administration were secretly obtained by the FBI under the previous leadership, and the discovery has led to employee firings and accusations of a sprawling surveillance operation designed to avoid accountability.

An FBI official told The Post that information about the subpoenas was found in files located at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. The official compared the discovery to the "Arctic Frost" disclosures, which were unearthed from apparent burn bags last year. In official parlance, burn bags are containers that hold sensitive documents meant to be destroyed after a certain period of time.

Discovery Mirrors Previous Crossfire Hurricane Revelations

According to the NY Post, the Arctic Frost disclosures referenced by the FBI official are connected to purported burn bags related to the "Crossfire Hurricane" probe. That investigation examined alleged links between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia. The discovery of those materials last year raised questions about how the bureau handled sensitive case files.

Reuters first reported the existence of the subpoenas targeting Patel and Wiles. According to Reuters, the phone records were found in files that had been labeled "Prohibited." Patel has since barred FBI employees from using that classification label on case files.

Several FBI employees were fired on Wednesday in connection with the discovery of the subpoenaed records, though the exact number of terminations was not disclosed. The firings signal that the current bureau leadership views the matter as a serious breach of internal protocol. The developments have added new fuel to an already contentious debate over the FBI's conduct during the Trump-related investigations.

Patel Calls the Subpoenas "Outrageous and Deeply Alarming"

Critics of the previous FBI leadership argue that the subpoenas represent a troubling pattern of overreach against political figures aligned with President Trump. The FBI official who spoke with The Post went further, characterizing the matter as far more extensive than initially understood. "It's not just phone records and subpoenas — but a massive targeting operation," the official said.

The official indicated that the operation involved both technical tools and human intelligence, suggesting a level of surveillance that extended well beyond simple records requests. This characterization, if accurate, would raise profound questions about the scope of the special counsel's investigative methods. It also raises concerns about whether adequate oversight existed during those probes.

Patel himself issued a forceful statement condemning how the subpoenas were carried out. "It is outrageous and deeply alarming that the previous FBI leadership secretly subpoenaed my own phone records — along with those of now White House chief of staff Susie Wiles — using flimsy pretexts and burying the entire process in prohibited case files designed to evade all oversight," Patel said.

Lessons to Learn

1. Government surveillance powers can be used against anyone, regardless of their political standing or status as a private citizen. This case illustrates why robust oversight mechanisms for law enforcement agencies are essential to protecting civil liberties for all Americans.

2. The labeling and handling of sensitive documents within federal agencies can have significant implications for transparency and accountability. When files are classified under restrictive labels such as "Prohibited," it can effectively shield them from review, making it critical that clear policies govern how records are categorized and who has access to them.

3. Individuals should be aware that their communications records can be obtained through legal processes without their knowledge.

While there is no guaranteed way to prevent such actions, staying informed about your rights and supporting institutional transparency can help protect against potential abuses.

Why This Story Matters

This story matters because it strikes at the heart of public trust in the nation's premier law enforcement agency. When the FBI obtains the private communications records of individuals who later ascend to the highest levels of government — and those records are buried in files designed to avoid scrutiny — it raises fundamental questions about the balance between investigative authority and civil liberties. The community at large has a vested interest in ensuring that federal power is exercised transparently and with appropriate checks, regardless of which political party is in power.

In summary, phone records belonging to FBI Director Kash Patel and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles were subpoenaed by the FBI in 2022 and 2023 as part of special counsel Jack Smith's investigations into President Trump, the records were discovered in files labeled "Prohibited" at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C., several bureau employees were fired in connection with the findings, and Patel has condemned the subpoenas as an overreach by previous FBI leadership that was deliberately concealed from oversight.