Before his re-election as US President, Trump had to face a series of investigations. His victory now means that two proceedings at the federal level are about to end. Special Counsel Smith requested a postponement.
US special investigator Jack Smith has requested a postponement of the deadline in the criminal proceedings against US President-elect Donald Trump regarding the documents affair. The background is probably that the two cases led by Smith against the Republican are now practically over after his election victory, because the US Department of Justice does not usually investigate incumbent presidents.
Smith asked the Florida court for time until December 2nd to consider the “unprecedented circumstances.” This was reported by the news portal Politico and Fox News, among others, with reference to relevant court documents. It is expected that the special investigator will end his investigation before Trump's inauguration.
Trump was indicted in Florida on charges of unlawfully retaining top-secret documents after he left office in 2021 and obstructing investigations. After the judge halted the proceedings, Smith requested a retrial in July. Even before Trump's re-election last week, it was unclear what would happen next.
Proceedings due to January 6, 2021 are also pending
US Attorney General Merrick Garland had commissioned Smith to investigate two cases against Trump. As in Florida, Smith also announced in the trial in Washington, in which Trump is charged with attempted election fraud and his role in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021, that he would inform the court promptly about the next steps. The judge there has already granted this request.
The allegations in Washington are the most serious in a series of proceedings against Trump. If convicted, he would theoretically face decades in prison, but that is unlikely to happen now.
During the election campaign, Trump declared that he would fire Smith “within two seconds” if he won the election. He wants to replace Justice Minister Garland in his new cabinet with the right-wing hardliner Matt Gaetz.
