The FBI obtained phone records of Kash Patel, now FBI Director, and Susie Wiles, White House Chief of Staff, when both were private citizens in 2022 and 2023, Reuters reported.
Patel said the records were collected amid the federal probe into former President Donald Trump, including the Mar-a-Lago classified documents investigation. Investigators obtained “toll records,” showing call timings and recipients, though not content.
The former Trump ally described the subpoena as an example of government overreach, criticizing prior FBI leadership for labeling files “Prohibited,” making them difficult to locate after Patel assumed the bureau’s leadership in February 2025.
At least 10 FBI employees were dismissed following revelations about the targeting of Patel, Wiles, and others connected to the investigation. Patel said record collection extended into Wiles’ tenure as Trump’s co-campaign manager for the 2024 election.
Special Counsel Jack Smith led the probe during the Biden administration, investigating Trump for alleged obstruction and retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. A federal judge permanently barred release of Smith’s report on the case, limiting public disclosure.
Patel emphasized that subpoenas targeted toll records, legally obtainable without a judge, but said the rationale for the seizure remained unclear. The Justice Department, Biden, Garland, and former FBI Director Chris Wray did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Patel criticized the use of “Prohibited” classifications in the FBI’s computer systems, noting he ended that practice to increase transparency. The case highlights tensions over investigative techniques used against Trump allies, with GOP leaders previously denouncing Smith’s handling of phone records and other evidence in related probes.
Reporting by Jana Winter; contributions from Brad Heath and Andrew Goudsward; Editing by Craig Timberg and Michael Learmonth.
