By Biden's order, the FBI investigated and spied on more than 160 Republicans close to Trump in 2021.

Approximately 160 figures belonging to the Republican Party - among them, 45 considered close to Donald Trump - were investigated by the FBI leadership that reported to former President Joe Biden. The investigation was led by former Democratic prosecutor Jack Smith and was codenamed "Arctic Frost".

Although those under investigation were never charged with any crime, they were placed under review while their contacts, communications, and activities were tracked. The investigation began under then-FBI Director Chris Wray and was later taken over by prosecutor Jack Smith in November 2022 by order of Biden's Attorney General, Merrick Garland. 

Among the figures within Trump's orbit who were targeted, notable names include former Trump White House adviser Steve Bannon, former New York City mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, and former Justice Department official Jeffrey Clark, among others. 

Eight Republican senators were spied on

The documents proving this Democratic deep state plot were revealed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Its chairman, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley, said that the FBI tapped the personal cell phones of eight Republican senators, which allowed the agency to know the time, duration, and general location of the calls.

The FBI stored what was collected from these calls in a record known as "restricted access", a system that restricts access to the evidence for most staff. Grassley stated that this move represents a serious violation of constitutional protections and also demonstrates the political nature of the investigation.

Other revelations related to the Arctic Frost investigation revealed that federal agents, with the help of legal advisers from the Biden White House, illegally obtained cell phones issued by the Trump administration and his vice president Mike Pence.

Arctic Frost was an investigation launched by the FBI in April 2022 whose objective was to investigate an alleged plan devised by Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The investigation served to cover up the fraud allegations that weighed on Democratic candidate Joe Biden, who reached the presidency at that time fraudulently.