
Special Counsel Jack Smith has officially resigned from the Department of Justice after concluding his investigations into President-elect Donald Trump. Smith’s resignation was quietly revealed in a court filing submitted to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, which also requested that a previous order blocking the release of his final report not be extended.
Smith completed his work and submitted his final confidential report on January 7, officially stepping down from the DOJ on January 10. His departure comes just days before President Joe Biden leaves office, signaling the collapse of high-profile cases against Trump.
Jack Smith Resigns, Having Failed To Take Trump to Trial for Either January 6 or the Secret Documents at Mar-a-Lago
— Gena Perez “NV DEPLORABLE “ (@GenaPer86873483) January 12, 2025
Another Democrat political hoax fails
Jack Smith Resigns, Having Failed To Take Trump to Trial for Either January 6 or the Secret Documents at Mar-a-Lago 📰 @NewYorkSunhttps://t.co/1Q55f91h1I
— Al (@Al01619246Al) January 12, 2025
Smith led two major investigations into Trump: one regarding alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and another over the handling of classified documents. However, both cases were dropped following Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris in the November election. The Justice Department cited its policy against prosecuting a sitting president as the reason for dropping the charges.
"Special Counsel Jack Smith resigns after submitting his investigative report on President-elect Trump. His departure marks the end of two withdrawn prosecutions post-Trump's election win. Legal battles loom over the report's public release. #JackSmith #Trump #JusticeDepartment…
— PMLN (USA) (@pmlnusa) January 12, 2025
Trump and his supporters long criticized Smith, calling the investigations politically motivated. Trump labeled Smith “deranged” and vowed to fire him upon returning to the White House. He also suggested pursuing legal action against Smith and other officials involved in the probes.
The RAT left the ship, I wonder why?
Jack Smith Formally Resigns From The DOJhttps://t.co/RyUH8CBUSy— Lyle Philly (@LyleLarkin) January 12, 2025
Smith’s cases faced significant legal hurdles even before being dropped. A Trump-appointed judge dismissed the classified documents case, and the Supreme Court ruled that former presidents have broad immunity for official actions, stalling the election-related case. Both developments severely weakened the DOJ’s efforts.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith in November 2022 to lead the investigations, hoping to maintain independence in politically sensitive cases. However, critics argued that the probes were part of a larger effort to weaponize the legal system against Trump and conservative Americans.
Smith’s resignation marks a turning point, effectively ending legal challenges that once threatened to derail Trump’s political future.