A contentious exchange unfolds between former President Donald Trump and Special Counsel Jack Smith following a late-night document release by the Justice Department.
According to Fox News, Trump responded with harsh criticism after the Justice Department released the first volume of Jack Smith's report at midnight Tuesday, focusing on the election case against the former president.
The timing of the release sparked immediate controversy, with Trump taking to Truth Social to voice his displeasure. He characterized Smith's actions as desperate and questioned the legitimacy of the report's findings, particularly regarding the handling of evidence by the House January 6 select committee.
Smith's report thoroughly explained the rationale behind bringing criminal charges against Trump, emphasizing the gravity of the former president's actions following the 2020 election. The special counsel maintained that Trump engaged in criminal efforts to retain power after losing the election, a position his office continues to defend despite the case's dismissal.
The Justice Department's decision to dismiss the case stemmed from constitutional interpretations regarding the prosecution of a sitting president. This determination came after Trump's victory in the 2024 election, forcing prosecutors to abandon the case before his inauguration.
Trump responded to these developments with characteristic defiance. On his Truth Social platform, he asserted Smith's inability to proceed with the case before the election, which Trump claims he won decisively.
Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022, addressed Trump's allegations of political interference in a letter to Garland. In response to Trump's claims, Smith stated:
Trump's cases represented ones 'in which the offense [was] the most flagrant, the public harm the greatest, and the proof the most certain'
The special counsel's investigation encompassed two major cases against Trump: the retention of classified documents after leaving the White House and potential interference with the peaceful transfer of power following the 2020 election. Both cases faced significant legal challenges, with the classified documents case being dismissed in July 2024 by Judge Aileen Cannon.
The election interference case, filed in the U.S. District Court for Washington D.C., met a similar fate when Judge Tanya Chutkan granted Smith's request for dismissal following Trump's election victory.
The investigation's conclusion represents a dramatic turn in the long-running legal battle between Trump and the Department of Justice. Smith's departure from his role as special counsel last week marked the end of a contentious chapter in American legal history.
The report's release at midnight Tuesday reflected the expiration of the original hold on Volume One, though Trump interpreted this timing as evidence of desperation on Smith's part. The former president particularly focused on the report's connection to the House January 6 select committee's investigation.
The complex legal saga between Donald Trump and Special Counsel Jack Smith concluded with the release of a comprehensive report detailing the Justice Department's election interference investigation. The midnight release triggered immediate responses from Trump, who dismissed the findings and criticized the timing.
This development effectively closes a significant chapter in the investigation, as constitutional considerations regarding the prosecution of a president-elect led to the dismissal of federal charges before Trump's upcoming inauguration.
