Trump prosecutor Jack Smith resigns from Justice Department – BBC.com
Jack Smith, the special counsel who led two federal criminal cases against Donald Trump, has resigned from the Justice Department before the president-elect takes office later this month.According to a court filing submitted on Saturday, Mr Smith “separated from the Department” on Friday.CBS News, the BBC’s US media partner, reported in November that Smith would resign from the Justice Department after completing his work.Mr Smith’s departure comes amid a dispute over the release of his report into the findings of Trump’s classified documents case.Mr Smith was appointed as special counsel in 2022 to oversee two Justice Department cases into Trump – one over the alleged improper hoarding of classified documents and the other over an alleged attempt to interfere in the 2020 election outcome.Both cases resulted in criminal charges against Trump, who pleaded not guilty and sought to cast the prosecutions as politically motivated.Mr Smith’s cases against the president-elect were closed last year following Trump’s presidential election win. Prosecutors wrote that Justice Department regulations forbid the prosecution of a sitting president.CBS reported in November that Mr Smith’s resignation was expected as it would allow him to leave his post without being fired by Trump or the incoming president’s attorney general.His exit means he leaves without either of his criminal prosecutions of Trump seeing trial.Earlier this week, US District Judge Aileen Cannon – who oversaw the classified documents case and controversially dismissed it last July – temporarily barred Mr Smith and Attorney General Merrick Garland from “releasing, sharing, or transmitting” the report about the case.Trump’s legal team received a draft copy of the report last weekend and it was expected to be released as soon as Friday.The move by Judge Cannon came after attorneys for Trump’s former co-defendants in the case – Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveir – called on her to intervene. Both men had pleaded not guilty.Judge Cannon ordered the release be put on hold until a higher appeals court, the Eleventh Circuit in Atlanta, considered an emergency appeal from Mr Nauta and Mr De Oliveir.By law, special counsels must present the findings of their investigations to the Justice Department, which is headed by the attorney general. Garland has promised to release all reports to the public and has so far done so.Trump’s attorneys argued that Mr Smith did not have the legal authority to submit the classified documents report because he was unconstitutionally picked to do the job and was politically motivated.Trump’s legal team also wrote to Garland not to release the report, and urged him to end the “weaponisation of the justice system”.On Friday, a judge sentenced Trump to an “unconditional discharge” in a criminal case related to hush money payments, meaning he has been spared jail and a fine, but he will still take office as the first US president with a felony conviction.Harris, who Trump defeated in the 2024 election, presided over the event as required by the US Constitution.Among the allies the president-elect has chosen to join his administration are contentious figures, including among fellow Republicans.The president-elect has nominated RFK to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.The suspect used an “improvised incendiary device” to start the fire in Portland, Oregon, ahead of the US election.A week after losing the election, Kamala Harris’s team are still appealing for funds.Republicans have won control of both chambers of Congress, yielding Trump limited congressional oversight for at least 2 years.
The president and president-elect shook hands as part of a long-standing tradition signifying the transfer of power.Given all the things they’ve said about each other, Joe Biden and Donald Trump’s meeting could be really awkward.’I think Putin believes that he knows how to play Trump’, says Trump’s former adviser John Bolton.The Russian president says he was impressed by Trump’s reaction to the first assassination attempt against him.The president addressed Americans from the White House for the first time since Donald Trump’s election victory.After Donald Trump’s decisive victory, we asked Americans what they think made the difference for each campaign.The BBC’s Samira Hussain was on the ground for Harris’s concession speech at Howard University.The vice-president addressed supporters at Howard University in Washington DC, following her election defeat to Donald Trump.BBC NI asks people in Belfast how they feel about Donald Trump’s victory in the US election.
Donald Trump took the stage at his campaign watch party in West Palm Beach, Florida, and was met with loud cheers.Voters across the US have their say on the re-election of Donald Trump.Sir Keir Stamer and Kemi Badenoch react to Donald Trump’s US Election victory at PMQs.The first minister had backed Democrat Kamala Harris, which Trump’s Scottish business had branded “an insult”.Catch up on the key moments from election night.Allies of the president-elect can expect intense questioning when Senate confirmation hearings begin this week.The report, written by the special counsel Jack Smith, could be published within days – but Trump can appeal.The 46th president had his accomplishments – but for now these are partly overshadowed by certain missteps All five living presidents appeared together at the funeral service of former US President Jimmy Carter.The outgoing president also says he is considering pardons for Trump foes.Copyright 2025 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.
