The Department of Justice dropped two criminal cases against Donald Trump

Special lawyer Jack Smith recommended that the two criminal cases against him be dismissed Donald Trump on Monday (November 25). Smith admitted that Trump return to the White House would make impossible federal prosecution efforts against him for retaining classified documents or trying to overturn his 2020 election loss.

The decision to drop the case is inevitable. according to AP news agency. Justice Department policy states that sitting presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted. Smith’s decision to drop the case is a grand conclusion to an unprecedented chapter in political and law enforcement history.

Details of the Special Council’s decision to dismiss Donald Trump’s cases

In court filings, Jack Smith’s team emphasized that their move to abandon prosecution does not mean the criminal cases have no merit. Instead, this situation reminds us of the legal shield that surrounds any commander in chief.

“The injunction is categorical and does not affect the seriousness of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government’s evidence, or the value of the case,” prosecutors wrote in their filing. prosecution which the Government fully supports.”

However, Smith’s team said two people in the classified documents case still face charges. Those people include Donald Trump’s valet, Walt Nauta, and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. According to prosecutors, “no principle of temporary exemption applies to them.”

The campaign against Trump was once considered a serious threat to his election. He was indicted for plotting to overturn his loss to Joe Biden in 2020. Those efforts became frantic after his supporters’ violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on May 6. 1, 2021. But the cases were quickly halted because of legal arguments over whether he was immune from prosecution.

United States Supreme Court ruled in July For the first time, former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution. However, the case only started to boil over again at trial a few weeks before this year’s election. In October, Smith’s team filed a lengthy brief laying out new evidence they planned to use against him at trial. They accused him of “using criminal means” in a desperate attempt to overturn the will of voters after he lost to Biden.

The separate case involving classified documents has been legally established. That’s because the alleged crimes occurred after Trump left the White House and lost presidential power. The indictment includes dozens of felony counts accusing him of illegally hoarding classified records from his presidency at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida. He was also charged with obstructing federal efforts to get them back. He has pleaded not guilty and denies wrongdoing.

The case quickly became complicated because of the delay. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon was slow to issue a ruling while addressing motions and defense arguments. In May, she indefinitely canceled the trial date. She cited a series of unresolved legal issues before dismissing the case two months later. Smith’s group appealed the decision but has now abandoned that effort.

Trump’s team reacts to this news

Steven CheungDonald Trump’s incoming White House communications director welcomed the decision to drop the lawsuits against the president-elect. He described this as a “great victory for the rule of law”.

“The American people and President Trump want an immediate end to the weaponization of politics in our justice system, and we look forward to reunifying our country,” Cheung said in a statement.

Trump has long described the investigations as politically motivated. Additionally, the future 47th president has vowed to fire Smith as soon as he takes office in January. Now, Donald will return to the White House free from criminal charges from the government he will lead.

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Associated Press staff ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, ERIC TUCKER, CHRIS MEGERIAN and COLLEEN LONG contributed to this story.