President-elect Donald Trump has plans to fundamentally reshape the U.S. Department of Justice upon returning to the White House.
According to the Washington Examiner, his intent involves terminating the entire team of special counsel Jack Smith and commissioning a DOJ-led investigation into the 2020 presidential election.
Jack Smith, the special counsel who led the charge on indicting Trump, has elected to resign effective before the inauguration in January, following his involvement in multiple legal actions against Trump. The president-elect, who won the 2024 election, was previously indicted by Smith's office for retaining classified documents and attempting to subvert the 2020 election's results.
During his June 2023 indictment, Trump was charged with handling classified information and obstructing government retrieval efforts. He has consistently pleaded not guilty in all cases.
By August 2023, further charges aimed at Trump involved him in efforts to interrupt the democratic process and link him to the events of January 6.
The case concerning the classified documents was ultimately dismissed. Trump's legal representation managed to delay the remaining legal proceedings through appeals, introducing a Supreme Court case over his claimed immunity in the federal election overturn attempt.
Throughout his campaign, Trump vowed to restructure the Department of Justice, which he accused of being misused against him politically. His election campaign was marred by this narrative of a judicial system that had been politicized to target his activities.
"President Trump campaigned on firing rogue bureaucrats who have engaged in the illegal weaponization of our American justice system, and the American people can expect he will deliver on that promise," stated Trump’s press secretary Karoline Leavitt, underscoring the president-elect's commitment to this cause.
The structure of Jack Smith's team, consisting of numerous attorneys, agents from the FBI, and various support staff temporarily assigned from the DOJ and U.S. attorney's offices nationwide, is set for a comprehensive shakeup. With Trump's recent electoral win, several team members had already returned to their regular roles nationwide.
In line with Trump's anticipated administrative actions, House Republicans have instructed Justice Department officials to retain all communications relating to the individuals who participated in the investigations against Trump. This move hints at potential future inquiries or accountability sought from the Republican-majority House concerning the conduct of these investigations.
Amidst his preparations for office, Trump has not relented in his claims—unsupported by existing investigation results—that the 2020 election was tainted by widespread voter fraud.
Trump amplified this assertion on his platform, Truth Social, where he conveyed a severe message to individuals he deemed had acted against legal norms during the elections: "Please beware that this legal exposure extends to Lawyers, Political Operators, Donors, Illegal Voters, and corrupt Election Officials. Those involved in unscrupulous behavior will be sought out, caught, and prosecuted at levels, unfortunately, never seen before in our Country."
The anticipated overhaul of the Department of Justice by the incoming Trump administration, including a comprehensive investigation into the 2020 elections, signifies a profound shift towards fulfilling campaign promises that resonated with his voter base.
Additionally, Trump's actions may redefine the workings of the U.S. judicial framework, potentially influencing practices and policies regarding election integrity and federal operations in the coming years. The full ramifications of these changes remain to be seen as the nation approaches Trump's inauguration and the ensuing administrative transition.
