Trump calls Jack Smith ‘desperate’ after special counsel report is released after midnight

President-elect Trump took another swipe at Jack Smith after the Justice Department released the former special counsel’s report early Tuesday. Attorney General Merrick Garland released the first volume of Smith’s report, which focuses on the election case against Trump, at midnight after a lengthy legal battle in the federal court system. The timing of the release, at midnight, sparked a fiery response from Trump.

In a series of posts on Truth Social, Trump criticized Smith for releasing his “Fake findings” in the early hours of the morning. He questioned whether Smith mentioned the alleged destruction and deletion of evidence by the House Jan. 6 select committee, which was tasked with investigating the Capitol breach by Trump supporters in 2021.

Trump dismissed Smith’s report as being based on information gathered by the Jan. 6 committee, which he claimed was biased because all its members were appointed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He also reiterated his belief that Smith was acting on President Biden’s orders to prosecute his political opponents.

Smith, who resigned last week, refuted Trump’s claims in a letter to Garland, stating that his decisions as a prosecutor were guided by the Principles of Federal Prosecution. He defended the decision to bring criminal charges against Trump, citing the former president’s alleged criminal efforts to retain power after losing the 2020 election.

In the report, Smith explained that the case against Trump was dismissed before he took office in 2024 due to the Department’s view that the Constitution prohibits the indictment and prosecution of a sitting president. Garland appointed Smith as special counsel in November 2022 to oversee investigations into Trump’s retention of classified documents and alleged interference in the peaceful transfer of power.

Despite the legal battles and charges brought against him by Smith, Trump pleaded not guilty. The cases against him were dismissed by judges in Florida and Washington D.C. due to legal technicalities surrounding Smith’s appointment as special counsel.

The release of Smith’s report and Trump’s subsequent criticism have reignited tensions between the former president and the Justice Department. As the legal battles continue, the political landscape remains fraught with uncertainty and division.