Special counsel got access to Trump's direct messages, drafts on X, court transcripts reveal

Special Counsel Jack Smith who recently charged Donald Trump with a third indictment for conspiring to overturn the 2020 election, received access to theformer president's direct messages, and draft tweets on X, formerly known as Twitter, according to The New York Timesreport.

Smith got access to thetrove of so-called messages earlier this winter but it remains unclear what sort of information those texts contained.

The newly unsealed court papers which contained the transcripts of the proceedings, showed that a lawyer for X, confirmed Judge Howell that the company had turned over“all direct messages, the DMs” to the special counsel's office.

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During the February hearings, Judge Howell repeatedly questioned X whether the company's resistance to share the messages reflected then CEO Elon Musk's efforts to side with Trump.

X initially refused to turn over the information, as Justice Department requested to not disclose the request to Trump.DOJargued that if Trump learnt about the warrant, it“would result in destruction of or tampering with evidence, intimidation of potential witnesses or serious jeopardy to this investigation".

The Musk-owned company put up resistance adding some of Trump’s direct messages might be covered byexecutive privilege if he was communicating about state business with other administration officials.

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X slapped with the fine

The transcript also showed the frustration that prosecutors had to endure over the opposition from X, withDOJ attorney Thomas Windom complaining about earlier phone calls to address concerns prior to appearing in court.

“I had felt like I had been getting nickeled-and-dimed for the prior 20 minutes of conversation. We need the material. We need it now. We needed it 13 days ago,” he said.

Ultimately, X produced the record but not before it was fined $350,000 for not handing over the data in time.

“DOJ was most interested in communications between government officials and Twitter regarding the subject account,” thelawyer representing X said.

Both Smith and Trump have a frosty relationship with each other. After Trump was indicted for the second time in June by the Miami court, he delivered a charged speech where he called Smith a 'thug'.

"I've named him deranged Jack Smith.He does political hit jobs…He looks like a thug," said Trump, adding that Smith was a "raging and uncontrolled Trump hater".

(With inputs from agencies)

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