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Jack Smith Tells Congress Trump Is Seeking Revenge Over Charges
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January 22, 2026
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5:02Now PlayingThe former Justice Department official who secured indictments against Donald Trump told lawmakers that the president is unfairly seeking retribution against prosecutors and FBI agents who worked on his investigations. “President Trump has sought to seek revenge against career prosecutors, FBI agents and support staff, simply for having worked on these cases,” former Special Counsel Jack Smith said during his first time testifying publicly about his sweeping investigations. Smith brought charges against Trump for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling classified information. Bloomberg News Justice Department Reporter Chris Strohm joins Bloomberg Businessweek Daily to discuss. He speaks with Carol Massar and Tim Stenovec.
The former Justice Department official who secured indictments against Donald Trump told lawmakers that the president is unfairly seeking retribution against prosecutors and FBI agents who worked on his investigations.
“President Trump has sought to seek revenge against career prosecutors, FBI agents and support staff, simply for having worked on these cases,” former Special Counsel Jack Smith said during his first time testifying publicly about his sweeping investigations. Smith brought charges against Trump for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election and mishandling classified information.
“To vilify and seek retribution against these people is wrong,” Smith told the House Judiciary Committee Thursday. “Those dedicated public servants are the best of us.”
The hearing comes as Trump’s conservative allies demand his Justice Department investigate and prosecute former government officials, including Smith, for allegedly carrying out what they see as a sweeping criminal conspiracy against Trump. Smith said during the hearing that he expects to be indicted by the Trump administration for his work.
At the end of the hearing, Trump was on social media calling for Smith’s prosecution. “Based on his testimony today, there is no question that Deranged Jack Smith should be prosecuted for his actions,” Trump wrote. “He destroyed the lives of many innocent people, which has been his history as a prosecutor. At a minimum, he committed large scale perjury!”
Smith was appointed by former Attorney General Merrick Garland in November 2022, during former President Joe Biden’s administration. Smith defended his work before the Republican-controlled panel.
“Our investigation developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity,” Smith said. “If asked whether to prosecute a former president based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that president was a Republican or a Democrat.”
Smith obtained a grand jury indictment against Trump in August 2023 charging him with four criminal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the US, obstructing an official proceeding and conspiracy against the rights of citizens to have their votes counted. He also charged Trump with mishandling classified documents and obstructing justice after he left the White House.
Smith dropped both cases, however, after Trump was reelected in 2024, citing a Justice Department policy that prohibits the prosecution of sitting presidents.
Smith had already testified in private before the House Judiciary Committee in December. He forcefully defended the work that he and his team did and rejected accusations that they were driven by politics and animus toward Trump.
Trump has pressed his Justice Department to investigate and charge his perceived political enemies. The department has already sought charges against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, although those indictments were later thrown out by a judge over the validity of the US Attorney in Virginia who brought the cases.
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