Special counsel obtained Trump's Twitter messages, draft posts, location data

Special counsel Jack Smith obtained a vast array of data from X, the company formerly known as Twitter, about former President Donald Trump, including his private messages, draft tweets and location data, according to newly unsealed court filings.

More details about what prosecutors were searching for when they sought information related to Trump's Twitter earlier this year was revealed in 206 pages of records published Tuesday by Politico.

X had fought Smith's search warrant for information from Trump's @realDonaldTrump account on the platform, but the company ultimately complied after it was held in contempt and issued a $350,000 fine for missing a court-ordered deadline.

The warrant came as part of the special counsel's probe of Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

In addition to location data, draft tweets and private messages, the search warrant also asked for information about accounts associated with Trump that he may have used, devices used to log into Trump's account, privacy settings and history, all tweets "created, drafted, favorited/liked, or retweeted" by Trump, including those that he may have subsequently deleted.

Much of the legal battle for the information focused on how prosecutors demanded Twitter follow a nondisclosure order and refrain from informing Trump about the warrant.

Since the information was given to prosecutors, Trump has been indicted and pleaded not guilty to all charges in Smith's probe.

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