Trump’s Twitter use analyzed by expert witness in election interference case

Special counsel Jack Smith plans to call three expert witnesses to testify in Donald Trump’s federal election interference trial, one of whom has analyzed the former president’s cell phone data, according to a court filing. 

Smith secured a secret search warrant against Twitter, now known as X, in January which sought information about the 77-year-old former president’s use of the social media platform, and the number of devices used to log into Trump’s account, in the months leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol. 

Monday’s filing in the US District Court for the District of Columbia is the first indication of how the Justice Department prosecutor intends to use the data against Trump at trial. 

“The Government expects that Expert 3 will testify that he/she: (1) extracted and processed data from the White House cell phones used by the defendant and one other individual (Individual 1); (2) reviewed and analyzed data on the defendant’s phone and on Individual 1’s phone, including analyzing images found on the phones and websites visited; (3) determined the usage of these phones throughout the post-election period, including on and around January 6, 2021; and (4) specifically identified the periods of time during which the defendant’s phone was unlocked and the Twitter application was open on January 6,” the court filing reads. 

“Individual 1” is presumed to be an aide that also had access to the former president’s Twitter account. 

The government describes “Expert 3” as someone with expertise in the “analysis of cellular phone data, including the use of Twitter and other applications on cell phones.” 

 It’s unclear the extent of the information prosecutors have from Trump’s phone. 

Heavily redacted documents released by the DOJ last month revealed that prosecutors had sought information on virtually every conceivable aspect of Trump’s Twitter account, including search history, drafted tweets, blocks and mutes.

“All advertising information … and ad topic preferences,” all IP addresses associated with the account, Trump’s privacy and account settings, records of the account’s communications with Twitter support and all direct messages sent and received by the account from October 2020 to January 2021 were also sought by prosecutors.

The government additionally sought information on users who interacted with Trump leading up to the riot. 

The two other expert witnesses mentioned in Monday’s filing have expertise related to the “interpretation and visual representation of geographic location data” and “analysis of location data and location history data, including Google location.” 

Smith explains that those two experts will be able to help the jury understand “the movements of individuals toward the Capitol area during and after [Trump’s] speech at the Ellipse” on Jan. 6, 2021. 

Judge Tanya Chutkan has set a  March 4, 2024, start date for Trump’s 2020 election interference trial.