Former special prosecutor Jack Smith recently made headlines for claiming that his team had developed “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Donald Trump had committed “serious crimes against our nation.” Though Smith was dismissed when Trump took office in 2025, he says he would still make the same decision to prosecute him. Keep reading for more information.
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Jack Smith Doubles Down On Trump Prosecution
On Tuesday, September 29th, Jack Smith appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee to defend his investigations into Donald Trump, telling lawmakers that he still stands by his decision to prosecute the president and would make the same call again if presented with the same evidence.
Smith was originally appointed in 2022 to investigate Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents after leaving office, but when Trump took office again in 2025, Smith was dismissed.
That has not stopped Smith from defending his choices, even as Republicans accuse him of abusing his authority and targeting Trump and other Republicans. "I stand by my decisions as Special Counsel, including my decision to bring charges against President Trump," Smith said in his opening statement. "Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in serious crimes against our nation," he said.
"If asked whether to prosecute a former president today based on the same facts, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat," he added.
Jack Smith's Trump Allegations
Smith's two federal investigations focused on separate allegations. One examined Trump's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and prevent the transfer of power, while the other focused on Trump's handling of classified documents after leaving the White House following his first term. Smith's office ultimately brought federal charges against Trump in both cases, though the cases did not proceed after Trump returned to office in 2025—Trump's administration promptly dismissed Smith.
During Tuesday's testimony, Smith continued to argue that the evidence supported those prosecutions, pushing back against Republicans who have called his investigations politically motivated. "The charges against President Trump were the result of the evidence," Smith said.
