Jack Smith, the special counsel who led the prosecution against President-elect Donald Trump, has resigned and left the United States.
Smith’s departure comes ahead of Trump’s January 20 inauguration, following his victory in the November 5 presidential election.
According to court filings submitted to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, Smith finalized his work and submitted a confidential report on January 7 before officially leaving the Department of Justice on January 10.
Smith, appointed in November 2022 to oversee investigations into Trump’s alleged mishandling of confidential documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election, dismissed the charges citing Justice Department rules against prosecuting sitting presidents.
In court filings, Smith’s legal team acknowledged the validity of the cases but argued they could not proceed with Trump set to return to the presidency.
This decision effectively collapses the legal challenges Trump faced and clears the path for his second term without legal repercussions.
Trump had previously threatened to dismiss Smith upon resuming office. Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor, did not comment publicly on his resignation or departure from the country.
