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Lawyers for President-Elect Donald Trump have called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to block Special Counsel Jack Smith’s final report on investigations into Trump.
Some shit you should know before you read: Roughly three years ago, the Department of Justice appointed Jack Smith as a Special Counsel to oversee two high-profile investigations related to former President Donald Trump. The first investigation focused on Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and resist the peaceful transfer of power, while the second centered on accusations that Trump unlawfully retained classified government documents after leaving office in 2021. These investigations led to criminal indictments against Trump; however, after Trump won reelection in 2024, the charges were dismissed, as Justice Department policy prohibits prosecuting a sitting president.
What’s going on now: In a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, lawyers for President-elect Donald Trump strongly opposed Special Counsel Jack Smith’s upcoming report, arguing it is unlawful and improperly motivated. The report, expected to be a two-volume summary of Smith’s investigations, aims to document findings related to Trump’s alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents after leaving office. Federal regulations require special counsels to submit a final report to the attorney general, but Trump’s legal team argues that Smith, whose appointment was deemed unlawful by a federal judge, lacks the authority to prepare or release such a document. They further argue that the report includes unsubstantiated claims and accusations against Trump and his associates, violating legal norms such as the presumption of innocence.
Trump’s attorneys have requested that Garland block the release of the report and remove Smith from his position, claiming his actions represent an ongoing “weaponization of the justice system.” They also argue that decisions regarding the report should be deferred to Trump’s incoming administration, which will have the authority to determine its handling. Should Garland refuse to intervene, Trump’s team has indicated they will pursue further legal action to prevent the report’s release.
This all comes as President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to overhaul the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), accusing both agencies of being weaponized against him during his previous term and throughout his political career. Trump has consistently alleged that the DOJ and FBI have engaged in politically motivated investigations, pointing to cases such as the Russia probe, his impeachment trials, and the recent special counsel investigations led by Jack Smith as examples of bias.
