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FBI agents monitored the movements of former US First Lady Melania Trump and her son Barron Trump in the lead-up to a 2022 search of President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate, according to newly released documents. The surveillance was part of an investigation into classified documents Trump retained after leaving office, known as "Plasmic Echo." The FBI aimed to determine the optimal time to execute the search by gathering information about the Trump family's travel plans and schedules.

In a separate matter, the FBI was also tracking the phone activity of Susie Wiles, who was serving as White House Chief of Staff at the time. FBI personnel monitored Wiles' calls between February and May 2023, including conversations with nearly two dozen attorneys connected to Trump, campaign staffers, political advisers, and journalists. The records show that one call from former President Trump to Wiles lasted 16 minutes and 11 seconds on May 19, 2023.

The FBI ultimately conducted the Mar-a-Lago search on August 8, 2022, after former Attorney General Merrick Garland approved the investigative steps. Special Counsel Jack Smith was already investigating Trump for potential obstruction of justice and allegations that he had falsely claimed all classified documents had been returned to the National Archives. Garland had previously warned that the investigation could be disruptive to the democratic process if it became public before an election.