DOJ subpoenas Fulton County DA Fani Willis' travel records, NYT reports

ATLANTA - The Justice Department has issued a subpoena seeking records tied to the travel of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, according to a report by The New York Times. 

Fulton County DA travel records subpoena

What we know:

The newspaper said Friday it had reviewed a federal grand jury subpoena, but the scope of the inquiry was not clear.

The Times reported that the subpoena requests information on international travel Willis may have taken around the time of last year’s election. 

The subpoena reported by The Times seeks details of Willis’ travel in the fall of 2024. 

This is separate from trips discussed in a motion filed in January 2024 which sought to disqualify WIllis from the Trump election interference case. 

What we don't know:

It was also unclear whether Willis is a target of the investigation or could ultimately face charges. Grand jury proceedings are secret by law.

The inquiry is being led by the office of U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg in the Northern District of Georgia. His office declined immediate comment, as did the Justice Department.

Jeff DiSantis, a spokesman for Willis, told the NYT, "we have no comment beyond the fact we have no knowledge of any investigation."

Fani Willis and Nathan Wade controversy

The backstory:

Willis, a Democrat, won reelection last fall. She made national headlines in August 2023 when a Fulton County grand jury indicted President Donald Trump and 18 others under Georgia’s racketeering law, alleging a multi-pronged effort to overturn the state’s 2020 election results. Several defendants later took plea deals, while others continued to fight the charges.

In January 2024, defense filings alleged Willis had a romantic relationship with Nathan Wade, the special prosecutor she had hired to help lead the case. The claims triggered hearings and a public fight over whether Willis should remain on the prosecution.

In December 2024, the Georgia Court of Appeals removed Willis and her office due to an appearance of impropriety tied to her relationship with Wade. On Sept. 16, 2025, the Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear Willis’ appeal, leaving her disqualification in place and shifting the decision about next steps to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia.

Separate from the Trump case, a judge ruled in March 2025 that Willis’ office violated Georgia’s Open Records Act and ordered payment of more than $54,000 in attorneys’ fees and production of documents.

RELATED:

• Fani Willis appeal in Trump case rejected by Georgia Supreme Court
• Georgia Supreme Court to hear Fani Willis subpoena dispute
• House Judiciary Committee presses Fulton DA's office for records, warns of action
• Video surfaces appearing to show Fulton DA Fani Willis, Nathan Wade at LAX
• Georgia Senate committee pushes for subpoena enforcement in DA Willis probe

Fani Willis involvement with Trump indictment

Timeline:

Aug. 14–15, 2023 — Trump and 18 others are charged in Fulton County in a racketeering case alleging efforts to overturn Georgia’s 2020 election results. Several co-defendants, including attorneys and political operatives, had begun negotiating plea deals. Over the following months, at least four pleaded guilty to lesser charges in exchange for cooperation.

Sept. 2023–Jan. 2024 — Pretrial motions mount. In January, a defense motion alleges DA Fani Willis had a romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade.

Feb. 2024 — Hearings probe the Willis–Wade relationship, including testimony from Wade and related witnesses.

Mar. 13, 2024 — Judge Scott McAfee dismisses some counts, leaving the bulk of the racketeering indictment intact.

Sept. 12, 2024 — Court tosses additional counts, including two against Trump, while the case continues on remaining charges.

Fall 2024  — A federal grand jury subpoena seeks records of Willis’ international travel during fall 2024, according to The New York Times. The inquiry, led by U.S. Attorney Theodore Hertzberg in the Northern District of Georgia, is separate from the defense motion about Willis’ relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The scope of the investigation is unclear, and Willis’ office said it had no knowledge of any probe. This was only revealed in 2025.

Nov. 18, 2024 — Appeals court cancels oral arguments on a separate appeal, reflecting the case’s procedural churn.

Dec. 19, 2024 — Georgia Court of Appeals removes Willis and her office from prosecuting the case over an appearance of impropriety tied to the Willis–Wade relationship.

Jan. 9–10, 2025 — Willis asks the Georgia Supreme Court to review her removal. The attorney general urges the court to reject the appeal.

Mar. 17, 2025 — Judge rules Willis’ office violated the Open Records Act in a separate dispute and orders fees and records production.

Sep. 16, 2025 — Georgia Supreme Court declines to hear Willis’ appeal, confirming her removal and prompting the search for a new prosecutor to decide how to proceed.

Fani WillisCrime and Public SafetyFulton CountyNews