Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has released internal FBI records showing that an agent with open hostility toward President Donald Trump played a direct role in launching the investigation that led to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s prosecution. The documents reveal that former FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Timothy Thibault was involved in drafting the initial case file and advancing the probe despite lacking the authority to do so.
The investigation, codenamed “Arctic Frost,” officially began on April 13, 2022. According to the released emails, Thibault crafted the opening language of the case and communicated with DOJ officials about adding Trump as a subject of the probe. These disclosures suggest that the FBI’s process for opening the case was not handled according to standard protocol.
In my opening statement at Kash Patel’s hrg I revealed never b4 seen whistleblower records proving w/o a doubt that anti-Trump FBI agent Tim Thibault launched elector case 2target Trump Perfect example of FBI politicization FBI NEEDS CHANGE Kash Patel is the right person to do it
— Chuck Grassley (@ChuckGrassley) January 30, 2025
Emails included in the whistleblower documents show Thibault directing subordinates on how to frame the case. One email from February 2022 shows him sending draft case language, while another from April 2022 reveals that he signed off on opening Arctic Frost. Despite his role, FBI policy does not grant him the authority to approve full-scale criminal investigations.
The records also highlight the involvement of Richard Pilger, an official from the DOJ’s Public Integrity Section, who reviewed and approved the FBI’s request to escalate the case. Grassley has previously expressed concerns about Pilger’s influence in politically charged investigations, particularly those targeting Trump.
At the Kash Patel senate hearing, Senator Grassley releases previously unseen FBI emails referencing project “Arctic Frost,” proving the FBI’s efforts to prosecute Donald Trump. pic.twitter.com/rKRt0Iq28X
— Timcast News (@TimcastNews) January 30, 2025
During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing for Trump’s FBI Director nominee Kash Patel, Grassley cited the whistleblower records as proof of political interference within the agency. He argued that officials acted outside their jurisdiction to pursue Trump and undermine public confidence in the justice system.
https://twitter.com/15poundstogo/status/1885122385839304782
Grassley and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) have demanded that Jack Smith preserve all records related to Arctic Frost, stating that the documents raise serious concerns about how Trump became a target in the federal investigation.
