Shortly before the US presidential election, Donald Trump announced that if he won, he would “fire” special investigator Smith, who initiated two cases against him. There is sharp criticism of this.
Former US President and current Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump would fire Special Counsel Jack Smith, appointed by the Justice Department, if he wins the election. “I would fire him in two seconds,” Trump said in a podcast hosted by conservative host Hugh Hewitt. Smith was a “very dishonest man,” criticized the Republican.
Smith was appointed special counsel by Democratic Attorney General Merrick Garland under President Joe Biden. He launched two cases against Trump.
Proceedings due to Election manipulation and Document affair
On the one hand, Smith obtained an indictment in a federal court in Washington for Trump's massive attempts to manipulate the election after his defeat by Biden in 2020. On the other hand, the special investigator initiated proceedings in the documents affair after documents that were classified as secret were found in Trump's private estate were classified and which he presumably should not have taken with him from the White House.
However, the proceedings surrounding the documents affair have already been closed by Trump-appointed judge Aileen Cannon. She granted a request from Trump's lawyers. Accordingly, Attorney General Garland violated the constitution by appointing the special prosecutor. With a similar request, Trump's defenders are currently trying to stop the proceedings on suspicion of election manipulation. Smith has appealed Cannon's decision.
Legally, a US president does not have the authority to fire a special investigator. But if Trump is re-elected, he could appoint a new attorney general who would again be able to do so. A Trump-appointed attorney general could also have the federal cases against him dismissed.
“Trump thinks he's above the law”
The campaign team of Trump's Democratic rival in the race for the White House, Kamala Harris, reacted with criticism to the Republican's statement. Trump thinks he is “above the law.” His statements were “consistent with warnings from Trump's former chief of staff that he wants to rule like a dictator with unchecked power,” said a spokesman for Harris, Ammar Moussa.
In an interview with the New York Times, John Kelly said Trump “fits the definition of a fascist.” Kelly served as White House chief of staff during Trump's first term in office from mid-2017 to early 2019.
