At a Glance
- Jack Smith will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on 2024 to defend his decision to indict former President Trump.
- The hearing will spotlight two investigations: the 2020 election-overturn conspiracy and the classified-documents hoarding case.
- Republicans plan to challenge Smith’s motives while Democrats seek new evidence of Trump’s wrongdoing.
- Why it matters: The testimony could shape public opinion and influence the legal strategy against Trump.
The upcoming hearing is expected to be a high-stakes showdown over the investigations that have shadowed former President Trump’s 2024 campaign. Republican lawmakers will press former special counsel Jack Smith to explain why he pursued charges against a sitting president, while Democrats hope to elicit fresh testimony about Trump’s conduct.
The Hearing Set to Unravel Trump Investigations
The House Judiciary Committee’s public session will focus on Smith’s work on two separate cases. In the first, Smith charged Trump with conspiring to overturn the 2020 election after his loss to Democrat Joe Biden. The second case accuses Trump of hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida.
> “Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity,” Smith will say, according to a copy of his opening statement obtained by Olivia Bennett Harris. “If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat.”
Smith will also emphasize that “No one should be above the law in our country, and the law required that he be held to account. So that is what I did.”
Smith’s Background and Legal Challenges
Smith was appointed in 2022 by the Biden administration to oversee investigations into Trump. Both investigations produced indictments, but the cases were abandoned after Trump returned to the White House because of longstanding Justice Department legal opinions that sitting presidents cannot be indicted.
> “In my opinion, these people are the best of public servants, our country owes them a debt of gratitude, and we are all less safe because many of these experienced and dedicated law enforcement professionals have been fired,” Smith said of the terminated members of his team.
The Justice Department has fired lawyers and other employees who worked with Smith, and an independent watchdog agency responsible for enforcing a law against partisan political activity by federal employees opened an investigation into him last summer.
Political Context and Partisan Stakes
The hearing will be led by Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Jordan told reporters on Wednesday that he regards Smith’s investigations as the “culmination of that whole effort to stop President Trump from getting to the White House.”
> “Tomorrow he’ll be there in a public setting so the country can see that this was no different than all the other lawfare weaponization of government going after President Trump,” Jordan said.
Smith’s private deposition last month saw him reject Republican suggestions that his investigation was motivated by politics or intended to derail Trump’s candidacy. He said the evidence placed Trump’s actions squarely at the heart of a criminal conspiracy to undo the election he lost to Biden and the January 6, 2021 riot by a mob of his supporters at the U.S. Capitol.
> “The evidence here made clear that President Trump was by a large measure the most culpable and most responsible person in this conspiracy,” Smith said. “These crimes were committed for his benefit. The attack that happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him. The other co-conspirators were doing this for his benefit.”
Key Questions and Evidence
Smith is expected to face questions about his team’s analysis of phone records belonging to more than half a dozen Republican members of Congress who were in touch with the president on the afternoon of January 6, 2021. The records contain data about the participants on the calls and how long they lasted but not their contents.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2022 | Smith appointed by Biden to oversee investigations |
| 2024 | Public hearing scheduled on Smith’s indictments |
| January 6, 2021 | Calls recorded with Republican members of Congress |
| 2024 | Court order sealed documents on classified-documents case |
| … | … |
The Classified Documents Case
It is unlikely that Smith will share new information Thursday about his classified documents investigation. A report his team prepared on its findings remains sealed by order of a Trump-appointed judge in Florida, Aileen Cannon, and Trump’s lawyers this week asked the court to permanently block its release.
The sealed report is part of a broader legal battle over the handling of classified materials and the extent of Trump’s alleged misconduct. The judge’s order reflects the ongoing tension between the executive branch and the Justice Department.
What’s at Stake
The hearing will be a pivotal moment in the legal and political saga surrounding Trump. If Smith’s testimony confirms the evidence he cites, it could reinforce the case against Trump and validate the Justice Department’s stance that no one is above the law. Conversely, if the evidence is found lacking, it could weaken the legal strategy and embolden Trump’s campaign.
The outcome will also signal how Congress views the role of special counsel and the limits of presidential immunity. Republicans will use the hearing to question Smith’s impartiality, while Democrats will aim to demonstrate the seriousness of Trump’s alleged crimes.
The broader public will be watching closely, as the testimony could shape the narrative around Trump’s legacy and the integrity of the U.S. political system.
Key Takeaways
- Jack Smith will defend his decision to indict Trump in two separate cases.
- The hearing will split along partisan lines, with Republicans questioning motive and Democrats seeking new evidence.
- The classified-documents case remains sealed, limiting new information.
- The testimony could influence public perception and legal strategy against Trump.
