Jack Smith Resigns as Special Counsel

Jack Smith, the Special Counsel who led two federal criminal investigations against President-elect Donald Trump, has resigned from the U.S. Department of Justice after submitting his final report on January 7, 2025. His investigations focused on Trump's alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and mishandling classified documents. Both cases were ultimately closed following Trump's victory, as Justice Department policy bars prosecution of sitting presidents. Smith's resignation comes just ten days before Trump's inauguration, amid ongoing legal battles regarding the release of his investigative report, which has faced a temporary injunction from a Trump-appointed judge. Smith's departure means that neither case he pursued will go to trial, and it follows Trump's recent sentencing in a separate 'hush money' case. Trump's legal team continues to criticize the investigations as politically motivated and lacking proper authority.