A new political firestorm is unfolding in Washington amid revelations that former President Donald Trump’s government-issued phone was reportedly seized as part of Operation Arctic Frost, a sweeping surveillance program authorized during the Biden administration.

The disclosure has raised alarm across the political spectrum — not only because of its implications for privacy and executive privilege but also because it suggests that the Justice Department may have extended its reach well beyond traditional investigative boundaries.

The controversy centers on Special Counsel Jack Smith, whose probe initially focused on election-related matters but has since evolved into what critics are calling an unprecedented political surveillance campaign targeting Trump and his allies.