The special prosecutor handling cases against Trump has resigned.

Special Prosecutor Jack Smith of the United States has resigned. The attorney was handling federal cases against Donald Trump regarding the overturning of the results of the 2020 presidential election and the mishandling of classified documents.

This was reported by RBK-Ukraine citing Reuters.

Special Prosecutor Smith resigned from the Department of Justice on Friday, January 10, according to a court filing submitted to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon on Saturday. In it, he requested the cancellation of a court order issued by the judge that blocked the publication of his final report.

The announcement of Smith's resignation appeared in a footnote in a filing, noting that the special counsel had completed his work, submitted his final confidential report on January 7, and "separated" from the Department of Justice on January 10.

Obsolete Cases

The former war crimes prosecutor, Smith, initiated two of the four criminal cases that Trump faced after leaving the presidency. However, these cases were dropped, as a judge appointed by Trump in Florida dismissed one of them, and the U.S. Supreme Court—comprised of three Trump-appointed justices—ruled that former presidents have complete immunity from prosecution for official actions. None of the cases that Smith was handling went to trial.

Following Trump's victory in the elections on November 5, 2024, Smith abandoned both cases, citing a long-standing Department of Justice rule that prohibits prosecuting sitting presidents. In court, Smith's team argued the essence of the cases initiated, signaling that Trump's inevitable return to the White House rendered them unacceptable.

Smith's departure marks another indicator of the collapse of criminal cases against Trump, which could conclude without any legal consequences for the new president and provoke negative reactions that would facilitate his political comeback.

Smith's resignation from the Department of Justice was anticipated. Trump, who frequently referred to Smith as "crazy," stated he would fire him immediately upon taking office on January 20. The Republican suggested that upon returning to office, he might seek revenge against Smith and others involved in the investigations against him.

In 2023, Trump became the first sitting or former U.S. president to face criminal charges. This began in New York, where he was accused of attempting to conceal a payment to silence porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

Later, Smith charged Trump with unlawfully retaining classified materials after leaving office and with attempting to overturn his loss in 2020—a campaign that incited the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. The Georgia prosecutor also indicted Trump for his attempts to overturn his electoral defeat in that state.

Attempt to Establish Justice

The Republican politician denied any wrongdoing and labeled the charges as politically motivated attempts to harm his campaign. He raised millions in donations for his campaign by speaking in court and used these cases to create a powerful narrative that the political establishment has turned against him and his supporters.

The Department of Justice defended these cases, stating that they were led by career prosecutors acting without political influence.

In November 2022, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith as special prosecutor and tasked him with leading two investigations against Trump being conducted by the Department of Justice. This decision was made just days after the Republican leader announced the start of his campaign to return to the White House for the 2024 elections.

Garland, appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden, stated that Smith would ensure a certain degree of independence in these very sensitive investigations.

Smith returned to Washington from The Hague, where he was handling war crimes cases related to the 1998-1999 Kosovo war. He secured the conviction of Salih Mustafa, a former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who ran a prison where torture was inflicted during the conflict.

Previously, Smith led the Department of Justice's integrity division and worked in the federal prosecutor's office in Brooklyn, New York, establishing himself as a relentless investigator.

The History and Process of Cases Against Trump

The indictments, the first federal cases against the former U.S. president, accuse Trump of taking highly classified national security documents to his Florida resort and using false statements about election result fraud to attempt to disrupt the gathering and counting of votes after his defeat in the 2020 election.

"The attack on our nation's Capitol on January 6, 2021, was an unprecedented assault on the residence of American democracy. As described in the indictment, it was fueled by lies—lies of the accused aimed at obstructing a fundamental function of the U.S. government," Smith stated while announcing the indictment in August 2023 during one of two public statements he made during his investigation.

The special prosecutor faced compressed timelines to conclude both investigations, as it was clear that Trump could shut them down if he wins the election. Both cases encountered legal obstacles.

In the case regarding classified documents, Florida District Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by Trump, dismissed all charges in July, ruling that Smith was improperly appointed as special counsel.

Smith's office appealed this decision. Prosecutors dropped the appeal against Trump following his election victory but indicated they would continue efforts to revive charges against two of Trump's associates accused of obstructing the investigation.

The electoral case was put on hold for several months while Trump's lawyers prepared an appeal regarding presidential immunity. In August, the U.S. Supreme Court largely sided with Trump, ruling that the politician could not be held accountable for many official actions he took while in office, resulting in further delays in the case.

Smith acknowledged in court documents that his team faced "unprecedented circumstances" after Trump's election victory over Democrat Kamala Harris. His office concluded that both cases could not proceed.

Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records following a trial in a "hush money" case in New York initiated by state prosecutors. The sentencing was postponed indefinitely after his election victory, and Trump's lawyers are seeking to have it overturned entirely.

The case in Georgia, which also includes charges against 14 of Trump's allies, remains in limbo while an appeals court decides whether lead prosecutor Fani Willis should be disqualified for misconduct due to a romantic relationship with a former high-ranking deputy.

The case against Trump is unlikely to progress while he remains president.

Protracted Cases Against the New U.S. President

It should be noted that in June 2024, courts suspended cases against Trump for interference in the presidential election in Georgia and improper handling of classified documents. It was decided that these cases would be addressed after the presidential elections in November.

In August of last year, the Federal District Court in Washington resumed consideration of the case against Trump for interference in the 2020 election.

In November, Smith filed a motion to dismiss this case.