The US special counsel investigating Donald Trump obtained a secret search warrant for the ex-president's Twitter data in January, unsealed records show.

Jack Smith requested "data and records" relating to Mr Trump's account which may have included unpublished posts.

After initially resisting the warrant, Twitter eventually complied, but missed a court-ordered deadline by three days.

The delay resulted in the company being handed a $350,000 (£275,000) fine for contempt of court.

The existence of the search warrant and the legal fight over it was revealed in court documents unsealed on Wednesday.

According to the unsealed ruling, which still includes some redactions, Twitter's lawyers did not object to the warrant itself, but disputed the nondisclosure order which kept it secret.

 

The company, now known as X under the ownership of Elon Musk, argued that it should be allowed to notify customers whose accounts are subject to search warrants.

X handed over the data in February, but appealed the fine. Its case was rejected by a US appeals court last month.

There is little indication in the documents about what exactly Mr Smith was seeking, with the court filing noting that only that the warrant directed the company "to produce data and records" related to Mr Trump's account.

 

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Fining a man worth $300 billion $350,000 is a joke.

 

10 minutes ago, bendejo said:

Fining a man worth $300 billion $350,000 is a joke.

 

Your mistaken.They didnt go after Elon ! They went after his company !

Maybe the filing charge has limits to amount the Govt can seek!

 

Obviously mr smith is being very thorough as the seriousness of the case dictates we have never had such a person as mr trump as potus.I’m sure a major tantrum is in the work’s complete with copious amounts of victimhood backed by lies enuendo massive whaialing and blubbering + threats