Former Special Counsel Jack Smith grabbed communications from The Federalist and a dozen other newsrooms. He did this by seizing text messages from 87 Trump White House phones. Sen. Chuck Grassley pulled back the curtain on this move during a hearing on Tuesday. The records came from the National Archives after Smith’s office issued subpoenas. This operation had the code name “Arctic Frost,” as noted by The Federalist. The goal was to sweep up private chats that included members of Congress.
Grassley listed the media targets in a long statement. Smith acquired information from 60 Minutes, Associated Press, Bloomberg, CBS, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, LA Times, Mark Levin Show, Media Research Center, NBC, NPR, NY Magazine, Reuters, The Federalist, The Washington Post, Washington Times and the Wall Street Journal. Grassley argued the team knew they would grab privileged info but did it anyway.
BREAKING: Statement From Sean Davis, CEO and Co-Founder of The Federalist:
Corrupt cop Jack Smith spied on The Federalist and accessed our communications during his lawless anti-Trump witch hunt. We are still working to determine which of our reporters were targeted by Jack…
— Sean Davis (@seanmdav) September 29, 2026
Jack Smith showed up on Capitol Hill to face the questions. Regarding a potential repeat, he informed senators he would bring charges against Donald Trump again if necessary. His stance was clear and firm. He said he would follow the facts and the law without fear or favor. He insisted his actions were not about politics. Smith claimed he made his decisions without regard to President Trump’s political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 election.
He also told senators he stands by his decisions as special counsel. Smith added that he would charge a former president regardless of their party. He said he would do so regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat.
Senator Grassley saw things differently than Smith. He accused the special counsel of trying to target Republicans in key battleground states. Grassley noted the investigation targeted hundreds of Republican groups and individuals. The senator pointed out that Smith subpoenaed 87 Trump White House phones, knowing they’d include communications with Members of Congress. This move bypassed the normal rules protecting congressional speech.
The records show a massive collection of data. It included texts from officials in Trump’s first term. The list of news organizations was extensive and included The Federalist. Grassley made it clear that the process ignored constitutional protections. He argued the team knew they would scoop up privileged info. Smith says he followed the law. Grassley says he broke it.
