Jack Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor and special counsel, who led two federal prosecutions against President-elect Donald Trump, has resigned.
According to a news report by The New York Times, his departure was announced in a legal filing submitted to Judge Aileen Cannon. The filing noted that Smith completed his final confidential report on January 7, 2025, and officially left his role on January 10.
Smith faced numerous legal setbacks, including rulings against him by appellate courts, the Supreme Court, and Judge Aileen Cannon. His resignation was expected before Trump’s inauguration, following the submission of his final report earlier this month.
Smith was appointed to investigate Trump in cases that garnered national attention. Both prosecutions, however, ended in legal defeats, with appellate courts and the Supreme Court siding against him.
Smith’s final week underscored the challenges of his tenure, including a ruling by Judge Cannon temporarily blocking the public release of his final report on the Florida documents case.
Trump’s attorneys contended that Smith lacked the legal authority to submit the classified documents report, claiming his appointment was unconstitutional and driven by political bias.
Smith’s cases against the president-elect were closed last year after Trump’s victory in the presidential election. Prosecutors cited justice department regulations, which prohibit the prosecution of a sitting president, as the reason for the closure.
Trump had openly criticised Smith during the investigations, vowing to remove him from his role upon assuming office. Smith’s resignation was anticipated, as he had indicated his intent to leave before Trump’s inauguration.