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Back in January Special Counsel Jack Smith sought and obtained a search warrant for President Donald Trump’s Twitter account. In the warrant, Smith demanded Twitter not tell Trump the Special Counsel was pursuing his account.
«On January 17, 2023, the government applied for, and obtained, a search warrant that directed Twitter to produce data and records related to the ‘@realDonaldTrump»‘Twitter account. At the same time, the government applied for, and obtained, a nondisclosure order, which prohibited Twitter from disclosing the existence or contents of the search warrant to any person. Based on ex parte affidavits, the district court found probable cause to search the Twitter account for evidence of criminal offenses. Moreover, the district court found that there were ‘reasonable grounds to believe’ that disclosing the warrant to former President Trump ‘would seriously jeopardize the ongoing investigation’ by giving him ‘an opportunity to destroy evidence, change patterns of behavior, [or] notify confederates,'» court documents state.
«The warrant required Twitter to tum over all requested information by January 27, 2023. The nondisclosure order was to remain in effect for 180 days after its issuance. The government faced difficulties when it first attempted to serve Twitter with the warrant and nondisclosure order,» the documents continue.
In response to the request for access to Trump’s account and the warrant, Twitter argued the effort was a violation of the First Amendment. According to court documents the request was slow walked at the social media company, prompting a judge to hold the company in contempt and a levy a big fine.
