Special counsel Jack Smith resigned from the Justice Department Friday, a move that was immediately condemned by President-elect Donald Trump.
Smith’s resignation sets up another political fight over the release of his final investigative reports before Inauguration Day.
“The Special Counsel completed his work and submitted his final confidential report on January 7, 2025, and separated from the Department on January 10,” the Justice Department stated in a court filing Saturday.
Trump responded sharply on Truth Social: “Deranged Jack Smith was fired today by the DOJ. He is a disgrace to himself, his family, and his Country. After spending over $100,000,000 on the Witch Hunt against TRUMP, he left town empty handed!”
Smith delivered his two-volume final report to Attorney General Merrick Garland on Tuesday.
Garland indicated he would not release findings about the classified documents investigation but plans to give congressional leaders confidential access.
“As I have made clear regarding every Special Counsel who has served since I took office, I am committed to making as much of the Special Counsel’s report public as possible, consistent with legal requirements and Department policy,” Garland wrote to House Judiciary leaders.
The resignation follows Smith’s November dismissal of two federal criminal cases against Trump after his landslide election victory. Smith was appointed by Garland in November 2022 to investigate Trump’s role in the January 6 Capitol riot and his handling of classified documents.
A federal appeals court Friday rejected Trump’s request to block the report’s release. Judge Aileen Cannon has temporarily halted publication pending more information from the Justice Department about potential classified material references.
Trump celebrated Smith’s departure in another social media post.
“The Stench of Deranged Jack Smith and his thugs is GONE… Deranged Jack accomplished nothing, except to show what complete losers my political opponents are!!!” Trump said.
Trump and his allies have maintained the Biden administration investigations were politically motivated.
“These cases, like all of the other cases I have been forced to go through, are empty and lawless, and should never have been brought,” Trump wrote. “It was a political hijacking, and a low point in the History of our Country.”
Smith’s legacy includes a Supreme Court ruling setting strict limits on prosecuting former presidents for official acts. The president-elect and congressional allies have discussed investigating the special counsel’s probes after taking office January 20.