Search warrant was issued for Donald Trump's Twitter account

The US peculiar counsel investigating Donald Trump obtained a concealed hunt warrant for the ex-president's Twitter information successful January, unsealed records show.

Jack Smith requested "data and records" relating to Mr Trump's relationship which whitethorn person included unpublished posts.

After initially resisting the warrant, Twitter yet complied, but missed a court-ordered deadline by 3 days.

The hold resulted successful the institution being handed a $350,000 (£275,000) good for contempt of court.

The beingness of the hunt warrant and the ineligible combat implicit it was revealed successful tribunal documents unsealed connected Wednesday.

According to the unsealed ruling, which inactive includes immoderate redactions, Twitter's lawyers did not entity to the warrant itself, but disputed the nondisclosure bid which kept it secret.

The company, present known arsenic X nether the ownership of Elon Musk, argued that it should beryllium allowed to notify customers whose accounts are taxable to hunt warrants.

X handed implicit the information successful February, but appealed the fine. Its lawsuit was rejected by a US appeals tribunal past month.

There is small denotation successful the documents astir what precisely Mr Smith was seeking, with the tribunal filing noting that lone that the warrant directed the institution "to nutrient information and records" related to Mr Trump's account.

The US legislature sheet investigating the 6 January 2021 Capitol riot recovered that Mr Trump had drafted - but ne'er sent - a tweet urging his supporters to travel to Washington.

It said: "I volition beryllium making a Big Speech astatine 10 a.m. connected January 6th astatine the Ellipse (South of the White House). Please get early, monolithic crowds expected. March to the Capitol after. Stop the steal!"

The @realdonaldtrump account, which has 86.5m followers, was suspended aft the riot.

It was reinstated successful November 2022 aft Mr Musk ran a canvass asking users whether the erstwhile president should beryllium allowed backmost connected the platform.

Mr Trump has not posted connected X since being reinstated, alternatively preferring to usage his ain Truth Social network.

Experts person noted that his Truth Social concern contracts mean helium perchance stands to suffer millions if helium resumes posting connected X.

Mr Trump responded to quality of the hunt warrant connected Truth Social, penning that it was a "major 'hit' connected my civilian rights... These are DARK DAYS IN AMERICA!"