Special Counsel Jack Smith released a much-anticipated report detailing his investigation into former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. The report, which came just days before Trump’s January 20, 2025 inauguration, asserts that Trump would have been convicted had he not won the 2024 election.
Smith’s report — which Trump and his team made efforts to block before its release — paints a damning picture of Trump’s actions following his 2020 loss to Joe Biden, describing them as an “unprecedented criminal effort to overturn the legitimate results of the election in order to retain power.” The special counsel’s team stands firmly behind their decision to bring criminal charges against Trump, believing the evidence would have been sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial.
The report highlights several key aspects of Trump’s alleged criminal conduct. The report accuses Trump of weaponizing deceit, deliberately spreading false claims of election fraud to undermine a cornerstone of American democracy: the legitimate transfer of power. Smith’s team also details Trump’s involvement in schemes to enlist fake electors in battleground states won by Biden and his role in directing an angry mob to the U.S. Capitol to obstruct the certification of the election on January 6, 2021.
One of the most striking revelations in the report concerns Trump’s relationship with his vice president, Mike Pence. The document recounts how Trump pressured Pence to refuse to certify the electoral count before Congress on January 6.
When Pence informed Trump of his intention to issue a statement affirming his lack of authority to do as Trump requested, the president reportedly expressed anger and made last-minute changes to his Ellipse speech to target Pence. His supporters subsequently chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!”
Smith’s report also sheds light on the challenges faced during the investigation, including Trump’s assertions of executive privilege and his use of social media to intimidate witnesses and attack officials who refused to support his false claims of a stolen election.
The special counsel decided against charging Trump with incitement, citing free speech concerns, and with insurrection due to his status as a sitting president at the time.
As the nation prepares for Trump’s return to the White House, this report serves as a stark reminder of the events that unfolded in the wake of the 2020 election and the potential consequences for him had he not won a second term.
Donald Trump has previously called for Jack Smith’s arrest. During confirmation hearings on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi refused to answer questions on whether she would pursue retribution against the special counsel.
