FBI Examined Phone Records of GOP Senators in Trump Jan. 6 Inquiry, Lawmakers Reveal

According to the senators, the data review authorized by a grand jury covered basic call details such as dates, times, and durations, but not the content of the conversations. The analysis focused on several days surrounding January 6, 2021, when a pro-Trump mob stormed the U.S. Capitol, interrupting Congress’s certification of Joe Biden’s victory.

A New Layer in a Familiar Story

The disclosure sheds new light on the now-closed inquiry led by the FBI and former special counsel Jack Smith, who charged Trump in August 2023 with conspiring to overturn the election results. That case, however, was later abandoned after Trump returned to the White House, protected by a long-standing Justice Department opinion stating that a sitting president cannot face federal prosecution.

Republican lawmakers, including Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, chair of the Judiciary Committee overseeing the FBI, released the document detailing what was called a “preliminary toll analysis.” Grassley said it had been produced in response to his own request for transparency.

“This is a violation of personal property, people’s rights, and the Constitution,” Grassley said, calling the move deeply troubling.

Who Was Targeted?

The document, dated Sept. 27, 2023, listed several high-profile Republicans whose records were examined:

Sen. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)

Sen. Bill Hagerty (Tennessee)

Sen. Josh Hawley (Missouri)

Sen. Dan Sullivan (Alaska)

Sen. Tommy Tuberville (Alabama)

Sen. Ron Johnson (Wisconsin)

Sen. Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming)

Sen. Marsha Blackburn (Tennessee)

Rep. Mike Kelly (Pennsylvania)

The analysis was carried out by an FBI special agent whose name remains redacted and authorized by supervisory agents. 

The document did not specify why these particular lawmakers were flagged or whether the review uncovered any actionable leads.

Echoes of a Divided Congress

Many of those listed were among the Republican bloc that initially planned to challenge the 2020 election certification. After the Capitol riot disrupted proceedings, some reversed course and voted to certify the results, while others held firm in their objections.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed “grave concerns” about the revelations on social media, calling for accountability and oversight.

Grassley, for his part, suggested that more dismissals may be coming within the bureau, saying, “If heads don’t roll in this town, nothing changes.”

What Comes Next

Despite the uproar, Republican senators said they would not pursue their own investigation, noting that FBI Director Kash Patel and Deputy Director Dan Bongino, both known Trump allies, were expected to review the matter internally.

Still, the episode highlights how the aftershocks of January 6 continue to ripple through Washington, intertwining politics, power, and the enduring question of how far federal investigators should go in probing elected officials.