Jan. 6 charges against Trump dismissed following Special Counsel Smith request

A judge has made the decision to drop the charges against President-elect Donald Trump in the D.C. case against him, following a request from Special Counsel Jack Smith on Monday. This ruling pertains to the investigation into the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol breach, with Fox News Digital having previously learned about Smith’s request earlier on Monday.

In a written decision, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan stated, “The Government has moved to dismiss the Superseding Indictment without prejudice. Defendant does not oppose the Motion…and the court will grant it.” Additionally, Smith filed a motion to drop his appeal in the classified records case against Trump, a case that was dismissed in July by federal Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel.

The recent developments come after Smith indicated earlier this month, following Trump’s victory in the 2024 presidential election, that he would begin winding down his case against Trump. The filing was officially recorded on the Department of Justice docket on Monday afternoon.

Smith had previously filed a motion to vacate all deadlines in the 2020 election interference case against Trump in Washington, D.C., halting short of entirely dropping the case. Trump had pleaded not guilty to all charges and had taken the matter to the U.S. Supreme Court, citing presidential immunity as a defense.

The Supreme Court’s ruling that Trump was immune from prosecution for official presidential acts led to Smith filing a new indictment. Despite pleading not guilty to the new charges, Trump’s legal team has been actively seeking to have the election interference charges dropped in Washington, D.C., on grounds of Smith’s alleged unlawful appointment.

In response to the dropped charges, Trump’s spokesman and incoming White House communications director, Steven Cheung, issued a statement, saying, “The American People re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. Today’s decision by the DOJ ends the unconstitutional federal cases against President Trump, and is a major victory for the rule of law.”

Trump has maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, posting on his Truth Social platform that the cases against him were “empty and lawless” and should never have been pursued. He criticized the expenditure of over $100 million in taxpayer dollars on what he called a politically motivated attack against him.

As Smith is expected to resign as special counsel before Trump assumes office, the legal battles seem to be coming to a close. Trump expressed relief at the resolution of the cases and emphasized the need to move forward and unite the country.

In conclusion, the decision to drop the charges against President-elect Donald Trump marks a significant turning point in the ongoing legal saga, bringing closure to a contentious chapter in American political history.