A federal judge unsealed filings from Jack Smith’s subpoena for lawmakers’ phone records on July 16, 2026, revealing details about the former special counsel’s effort to obtain toll records from members of Congress as part of his investigation into former President Donald Trump.
Jack Smith’s investigative team obtained and reviewed text messages from 44 members of Congress — 40 Republicans and four Democrats — according to Republican senators who disclosed the records earlier this week. The subpoenas sought toll records, which show when calls were made but not their content or the identity of the other party.
The subpoenas were issued as part of the Arctic Frost investigation, the FBI’s probe into alleged efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and events surrounding January 6, 2021. According to the Senate Judiciary Committee, the Arctic Frost investigation was opened in April 2022 and later taken over by Smith when he was appointed special counsel in November 2022.
Smith’s attorneys have defended the subpoenas as “entirely proper, lawful, and consistent with established Department of Justice policy,” according to court filings. The subpoenas targeted lawmakers whom Trump was imploring on January 6 to halt the congressional certification of the election results, according to AP News reporting.
The unsealing of these filings marks a significant moment in the ongoing scrutiny of Smith’s investigative methods. Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley has called for Smith to testify before his committee regarding the subpoenas and the scope of the Arctic Frost investigation. Grassley’s office has also demanded answers from telecommunications companies Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile about why they turned over the congressional phone records without public disclosure.
Sources
- The New York Times — Judge unseals Jack Smith subpoena filings for lawmakers’ phone records, July 16, 2026
- Reuters — Trump prosecutor Jack Smith reviewed texts from 44 US lawmakers, Republican senators say, July 14, 2026
- Senator Chuck Grassley — News release on Jack Smith’s investigative team obtaining text messages from 44 members of Congress, July 15, 2026
- Politico — Jack Smith obtained text messages from 44 members of Congress, July 14, 2026
- Washington Examiner — Jack Smith lawyers admit media reports prompted GOP lawmakers subpoena, October 22, 2025
- AP News — Republican lawmakers grill telecom officials over phone records, February 10, 2026
- Senate Judiciary Committee — Arctic Frost investigation overview
