The special counsel, Jack Smith, has stepped down from the US Justice Department, just a few days before Donald Trump’s inauguration as the new US President. According to a court document, Smith completed his work and submitted a confidential final report on January 7, and his resignation was received on January 10. This move was not unexpected, as Smith had been investigating two cases against the elected US President.
Smith had been looking into an alleged election fraud in Washington, DC, and the controversy surrounding the secret documents that Trump kept at his private club in Florida, in violation of security protocols. After Trump’s presidential win, the US state prosecutor’s office dropped the two cases, citing the department’s internal rule that it does not pursue cases against an incumbent president. During the election campaign, Trump had repeatedly criticized the special counsel, calling the investigations a witch hunt. By stepping down, Smith may have anticipated Trump’s reaction.
It remains unclear whether the Justice Department will revive the cases against Trump after his presidency. The current debate centers on the extent to which the two-volume final report by Smith can be publicly released. Now, it is up to Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by Trump, to make this decision.