Trump chief of staff 'in shock' after FBI subpoena of phone records: Report
WASHINGTON, DC: White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles was reportedly stunned after learning that the FBI had subpoenaed her phone records in 2022 and 2023 during investigations into President Donald Trump.
Wiles, who managed Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign, told associates, “I am in shock,” according to a report by Axios published on Thursday, February 26.
The subpoenas, according to reports, were issued while former President Joe Biden was in office and as Special Counsel Jack Smith was investigating Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
Subpoenaed toll records listed call numbers and times
According to Fox News, the subpoenaed toll records included phone numbers and the dates and times of calls, but not the content of conversations.
In 2023, the FBI also recorded a phone call between Wiles and her attorney, two FBI officials said the outlet. The officials said that the attorney was aware of and consented to the recording, though Wiles herself was not informed.
Smith later charged Trump in 2023 with multiple felony counts tied to alleged election interference and the retention of classified documents. Trump denied wrongdoing in both cases.
The election-related case was dismissed after Smith moved to drop it following Trump’s re-election, and the Justice Department appeal in the classified documents case was also abandoned.
Kash Patel denounces 'prohibited' file practice
Current FBI Director Kash Patel, whose phone records were also reportedly subpoenaed, sharply criticized the prior FBI leadership.
“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 told Fox News.
Patel said that he recently ended the FBI’s ability to categorize files as “prohibited,” a designation he suggested limited oversight.
Firings spark political and institutional backlash
At least 10 FBI employees were dismissed on Wednesday, though their names were not released for privacy reasons.
However, the FBI Agents Association issued a strongly worded statement condemning the terminations.
“The FBIAA condemns today’s unlawful termination of FBI Special Agents, which, like other firings by Director Patel, violates the due process rights of those who risk their lives to protect our country,” the organization said.
The group warned that the dismissals could weaken institutional expertise, destabilize the workforce and undermine public trust in the bureau.
