Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Al Jazeera
Al Jazeera
Politics
Al Jazeera Staff

Why is US prosecutor Jack Smith dropping charges against Trump?

This artist sketch depicts former President Donald Trump, right, conferring with defence lawyer Todd Blanche, centre, during his appearance at the Federal Courthouse in Washington, on Thursday, August 3, 2023. Special Prosecutor Jack Smith sits on the left [Dana Verkouteren via AP]

A federal judge in Washington, DC, has dismissed a criminal case filed against President-elect Donald Trump in 2023 in relation to interference in the result of the 2020 election. The case against Trump ended after US Special Prosecutor Jack Smith requested that it be dismissed on the basis of a US Department of Justice policy that prohibits prosecuting a president while in office.

A separate federal criminal case relating to the mishandling of classified documents, also filed by Smith, was previously dismissed on July 15 by US District Judge Aileen Cannon in Florida. She cited constitutional grounds. In her decision, Judge Cannon declared that the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith violated the Constitution.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.