History of Arctic Frost investigation in Timeline

The Arctic Frost investigation, also known as the fake-elector investigation, was a joint federal probe initiated in April 2022 by the FBI, DOJ Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and National Archives Office of Inspector General. It focused on Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. In November 2022, Special Counsel Jack Smith took over the investigation, incorporating it into a broader inquiry into the election and its aftermath, ultimately leading to Trump's federal prosecution for election obstruction.

2016: Stanford University Study on Telephone Metadata

A 2016 Stanford University study found that telephone metadata "is densely interconnected, can trivially be reidentified, enables automated location and relationship inferences, and can be used to determine highly sensitive traits."

January 2020: Verizon Subpoenaed Phone Records of Jim Jordan

In January 2020, Verizon subpoenaed phone records of Jim Jordan for a 28-month period through April 2022.

2020: Trump's Efforts to Overturn the Election

In 2020, after Joe Biden won the election, Donald Trump, with support from his campaign and allies, initiated efforts to overturn the election, which culminated in the January 6 Capitol attack.

2020: Investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 Presidential Election

In 2020, the Arctic Frost investigation started after Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election results

2020: Arctic Frost Investigation Characterized

In 2020, the FBI characterized Arctic Frost as an investigation into a "multifaceted conspiracy to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election so that former president Trump could remain in office".

January 2021: Senators Demand Release of Call Logs

On October 10, senators Tommy Tuberville, Chuck Grassley and Ron Johnson wrote a letter to Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi demanding the release of all documents "in unredacted form" referring to the call logs of Members of Congress during the investigation of 4–7 January 2021.

2021: Verizon Complied with Subpoenas for Republican Lawmakers' Phone Records

In 2021, Verizon complied with subpoenas, producing phone records for 12 phone numbers associated with Republican lawmakers spanning January 4–7, 2021, stating the subpoenas were "facially valid."

April 2022: Arctic Frost Investigation Opened by Timothy Thibault

In April 2022, Timothy Thibault, then-assistant special agent in charge at the FBI's Washington Field Office, opened the Arctic Frost investigation, alleging "specific and articulable facts" indicating violations of federal law. This was approved by FBI leaders.

April 2022: Verizon Subpoenaed Phone Records of Jim Jordan

In April 2022, Verizon completed a 28-month period of subpoenaed phone records of Jim Jordan that began in January 2020.

April 2022: Joint Federal Investigation Opened

In April 2022, a joint federal investigation, known as Arctic Frost, was opened by the FBI, DOJ Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, National Archives and Office of Inspector General, into Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 United States presidential election results.

August 9, 2022: FBI Seizes Cell Phone of Representative Scott Perry

On August 9, 2022, the FBI physically seized the cell phone of Representative Scott Perry.

November 2022: Jack Smith Appointed Special Counsel

In November 2022, Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith as an independent special counsel responsible for overseeing criminal investigations, including the fake electors scheme.

November 2022: Investigation Transferred to Jack Smith

In November 2022, the Arctic Frost investigation was transferred to Special Counsel Jack Smith.

November 2022: Investigation Transferred to Special Counsel Jack Smith

In November 2022, the Arctic Frost investigation, along with other investigations into the election and its aftermath, was transferred to the oversight of Special Counsel Jack Smith, leading to the federal prosecution of Donald Trump for election obstruction.

November 2022: Special Counsel Appointed, Investigation Scope Undisclosed

In November 2022, the investigation was initially publicly known as a probe into a "false electors scheme" when Special Counsel Jack Smith was appointed, with the "Arctic Frost" codename and broader scope remaining undisclosed.

2022: DOJ Opens Investigations into Trump Presidency Events

In early 2022, under Attorney General Merrick Garland, the Department of Justice (DOJ) opened multiple investigations, including one focused on the fake electors plot, into events during the closing weeks of the Trump presidency.

2022: Provision Applied Retroactively

The provision secured to award hundreds of thousands of dollars to senators subpoenaed in Smith's investigation applied retroactively to 2022.

March 28, 2023: DOJ subpoenas JPMorgan for Trump Media records

On March 28, 2023, the Justice Department subpoenaed JPMorgan Chase for records related to Trump Media & Technology Group, including records predating the company's existence, as part of the Arctic Frost investigation.

August 2023: Trump Indicted on Conspiracy Charges

In August 2023, Donald Trump was indicted on charges of conspiring to overturn the election results.

2023: Grand Jury Subpoenas Issued to Republican Politicians

In 2023, Jack Smith and the FBI used grand jury subpoenas to obtain phone records from nine Republican politicians covering four days surrounding the January 6 Capitol riot.

December 2024: IG Horowitz reviews DOJ's obtaining of congressional records

In December 2024, Inspector General Michael E. Horowitz reviewed the Trump administration DOJ's secret obtaining of congressional phone records in 2017-2018, finding no evidence of political motivation but concluding the DOJ "failed to take sufficient account of constitutional separation of powers".

2024: Case Dismissed After Trump's Election Win

In 2024, the case against Donald Trump was dismissed following his election win and a Justice Department legal opinion stating that sitting presidents cannot face federal prosecution.

January 2025: Durbin Requests Release of Special Counsel's Final Report

On October 30, 2025, Dick Durbin and all Senate Judiciary Democrats urged Grassley to invite Smith to testify and requested that the Department of Justice release Volume II of the unredacted "Final Report of the Special Counsel's Investigations and Prosecutions," which was submitted to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland in January 2025.

August 8, 2025: Walter Giardina Terminated by FBI Director

On August 8, 2025, Walter Giardina, identified as the author of the investigation's targeting list and a point of contact on numerous subpoenas, was terminated by FBI director Kash Patel.

September 2025: Republican Organizations and Individuals Under Investigation

In September 2025, documents revealed that 92 Republican organizations and individuals were placed under the investigative scope of Arctic Frost, including Turning Point USA, the Republican National Committee, and others.

October 7, 2025: Attorney General Bondi testifies on Arctic Frost

On October 7, 2025, Attorney General Pam Bondi testified that Arctic Frost represented "an unconstitutional, undemocratic abuse of power".

October 2025: Smith Offers to Appear Publicly Before Committee

In October 2025, Smith offered to appear publicly before the committee to address what he characterized as "the many mischaracterizations" of his investigations.

October 2025: Individuals Identified as Potential Subjects

In October 2025, documents released by the House Judiciary Committee identified 45 individuals, including Steve Bannon and Rudy Giuliani, as potential subjects of the Arctic Frost investigation.

October 2025: Arctic Frost Disclosures and Government Shutdown

The Arctic Frost disclosures occurred during the October 2025 federal government shutdown, and played a part in the funding package lawmakers voted on to end the shutdown. Senate Majority Leader John Thune secured a provision to award hundreds of thousands of dollars to senators subpoenaed in Smith's investigation.

October 29, 2025: Senate Judiciary Committee Releases Documents

On October 29, 2025, the Senate Judiciary Committee released documents showing that Arctic Frost issued 197 subpoenas seeking records related to approximately 430 Republican individuals and entities and the FBI obtained evidence that individuals tried to persuade former vice president Mike Pence to support the false elector certificates.

October 30, 2025: Democrats Call for Jack Smith to Testify

On October 30, 2025, Senate Judiciary Committee Democrats called for former Special Counsel Jack Smith to testify publicly before the committee about the Arctic Frost investigation.

November 4, 2025: Rep. Gill files impeachment articles against Judge Boasberg

On November 4, 2025, Republican Representative Brandon Gill filed articles of impeachment against Judge James Boasberg for signing subpoenas and nondisclosure orders for the Arctic Frost investigation. This was Gill's second impeachment resolution against Boasberg.

November 2025: Florida AG investigates JPMorgan Chase

In November 2025, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier initiated an investigation into JPMorgan Chase, alleging that the bank's actions towards Trump Media & Technology Group were influenced by the Arctic Frost investigation. Uthmeier claimed the Justice Department subpoenaed JPMorgan on March 28, 2023, for records related to Trump Media.

November 2025: Verizon Subpoenaed Phone Records of Jim Jordan

In November 2025, Verizon informed House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan that his phone records were subpoenaed for a 28-month period from January 2020 through April 2022.

November 2025: FBI Agents Terminated

In October and November 2025, FBI director Kash Patel disbanded the CR-15 Public Corruption Unit at the Washington Field Office and dismissed multiple agents who had worked on Arctic Frost. In November 2025, at least four agents were terminated.

November 18, 2025: Senators call for Boasberg's suspension

On November 18, 2025, six Republican senators sent a letter to D.C. Circuit Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan calling for Judge Boasberg's administrative suspension pending impeachment proceedings related to the Arctic Frost investigation.

November 19, 2025: House Votes to Repeal Provision

On November 19, 2025, the House voted 426–0 to repeal the provision that would award senators subpoenaed in Smith's investigation.

December 3, 2025: Jim Jordan Subpoenas Jack Smith

On December 3, 2025, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan subpoenaed former Special Counsel Jack Smith to appear for a closed-door deposition on December 17, 2025, with documents due by December 12.

December 2025: Dimon denies politically motivated actions

In December 2025, JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon denied allegations that the bank's actions towards Trump Media were politically motivated, stating that the bank complies with subpoenas and does not "debank people for religious or political affiliations."

December 17, 2025: Jack Smith Deposed Before House Judiciary Committee

On December 17, 2025, Smith appeared before the House Judiciary Committee for closed-door testimony.

2025: Information Emerged Through Documents Released by Chuck Grassley

Beginning in 2025, information about specific evidence sought and obtained by investigators emerged through documents released by Senator Chuck Grassley.