Donald Trump

Special Counsel Jack Smith resigns

The move was expected ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking the oath of office.

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SAUL LOEBMANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images

A US appeals court on November 14, 2024 granted a request by Special Counsel Jack Smith to pause the case against Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents after leaving the White House.

Special Counsel Jack Smith has resigned from the Justice Department on Friday, officials said in a court filing on Saturday.

The move was expected ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking the oath of office, NBC News reports.

Smith’s report on Trump’s alleged involvement in 2020 election interference is expected to be released soon. Trump has denied the allegations.

“The Special Counsel completed his work and submitted his final confidential report on January 7, 2025, and separated from the Department on January 10,” a government court filing said in a footnote.

The footnote was part of a Justice Department filing in which the government asked U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee, not to extend a restriction that is temporarily blocking part of Smith’s report from being released.

Trump had been indicted on charges related to allegations that he attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election results. He had entered a not guilty plea before the case was dropped. The federal charges, brought by Smith, were dismissed after Trump was elected in 2024. The Justice Department has a longstanding policy not to prosecute a sitting president.

This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

Jack Smith’s office had been evaluating the best path for winding down its work on two federal criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump.
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