WATCH: Jack Smith says Biden administration never directed him to target political opponents
January 22, 2026
1,658
71
4.28%
Search the Record
IndexedEvery word spoken in this episode is indexed. Type any phrase to jump straight to the moment it was said.
Type any word or phrase that may have been spoken. Click a result to seek the player to that exact moment.
Try a name, a topic, or a quoted line
Amna Nawaz Episodes Around January 22, 2026
See what was published immediately before and after this episode.
3:38WATCH: Rep. Moore addresses Jack Smith in hearing on Trump investigations
3:04Now PlayingWATCH: Jack Smith says Biden administration never directed him to target political opponents
YouTube Description
as posted by the channelRep. Ted Lieu, D-Calif., questioned former special counsel Jack Smith in a committee hearing Thursday about whether former President Joe Biden or anyone in his administration directed Smith to use the prosecutor’s office for Biden’s political gain.
Lieu asked Smith whether the administration asked him to seek retribution against opponents, arrest or punish President Donald Trump, or prosecute any political appointees. Smith responded no to all Lieu’s questions.
“Did President Biden or anyone else in the Biden White House ever threaten to fire you based on any action you took or did not take?” Lieu asked. Smith again responded no.
The hearing is focused on Smith’s investigations into President Donald Trump’s mishandling of classified documents and role in the Jan. 6 attack. It’s also an opportunity for the career prosecutor to publicly offer his inside perspective on the investigations, which both led to unprecedented indictments. Both were scuttled once it was clear that Trump would return to the Oval Office; Department of Justice policy prevents prosecution of a sitting president.
Republicans and the president have accused Smith of pursuing a politically motivated case against the president. Trump has denied wrongdoing while attacking Smith, calling him a "criminal" who ought to be investigated and "put in prison."
Sign up for Here's The Deal with Lisa Desjardins
Subscribe for exclusive content in our newsletters
PBS News podcasts
Stream your PBS favorites with the PBS app
Find more from PBS News at
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Guests & Subjects Covered
Sentinel Indexing in Progress
Metadata and chapters are available. Claim extraction for this episode is pending.
All video content is delivered via YouTube embedded players in accordance with the YouTube Terms of Service. Sentinel provides research tools that promote discovery and accountability across political media.








