Jack Smith

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From special counsel to subpoena: the Jack Smith–Trump showdown moves to Congress

Private citizen; subpoenaed witness before House Judiciary Committee

In November 2022, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed veteran prosecutor Jack Smith as special counsel to oversee two high‑risk investigations into Donald Trump: his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents at Mar‑a‑Lago. Both probes produced federal indictments in 2023, placing a former president on track to face criminal trials over alleged election subversion and mishandling of national‑security secrets.

Updated May 10

Notable Quotes

Through counsel, Smith has said he will comply with the subpoena while using the opportunity to correct what he sees as mischaracterizations of his work.

from From special counsel to subpoena: the Jack Smith–Trump showdown moves to Congress · Updated May 10

Smith’s court filings and public remarks have stressed that his charging decisions were driven by 'the facts and the law' rather than politics.

from From special counsel to subpoena: the Jack Smith–Trump showdown moves to Congress · Updated May 10

Smith told the House committee: 'The decision to bring charges against President Trump was mine, but the basis for those charges rests entirely with President Trump and his actions.'

from From special counsel to subpoena: the Jack Smith–Trump showdown moves to Congress · Updated May 10

During public testimony, Smith stated: 'There is no historical analog for what President Trump did in this case' and 'Donald Trump is the person who caused Jan. 6.'

from From special counsel to subpoena: the Jack Smith–Trump showdown moves to Congress · Updated May 10

Smith testified: 'We followed the facts and we followed the law. Where that led us was to an indictment of an unprecedented criminal scheme to block the peaceful transfer of power.'

from From special counsel to subpoena: the Jack Smith–Trump showdown moves to Congress · Updated May 10