Special Counsel Jack Smith drops federal election subversion and mishandling of classified documents cases against President-elect Donald Trump. Smith seeks dismissal, citing the Constitution’s prohibition on prosecuting a sitting president.

Trump plans to fire Smith upon taking office, breaking norms around special counsel investigations. The Justice Department believes the Constitution requires dismissal before Trump’s inauguration, not based on the case’s merits or strength.

The election subversion case culminated in a landmark Supreme Court ruling granting Trump presidential immunity from criminal prosecution. Trump’s delay strategy ensured no trial occurred before the November election.

Trump faces no trial, having pleaded not guilty to all charges. Trump spokesperson Steven Cheung calls the move “a major victory for the rule of law,” seeking an end to the “political weaponization” of the justice system ¹.