Former President Donald Trump stated on Thursday that if he were to be reelected, he would promptly dismiss special counsel Jack Smith and utilize his presidential authority to terminate Smith’s investigation. Smith had been appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to look into a variety of charges against Trump, including election-related offenses and unlawfully retaining classified documents post-presidency. When asked if he would pardon himself or fire Smith, Trump confidently expressed his readiness to dismiss Smith without hesitation. Additionally, Trump expressed his belief that he would not face impeachment if he were to fire Smith, citing his perceived immunity at the Supreme Court as justification.
This recent statement by Trump marks the first time he explicitly mentioned his intention to remove Smith if he were to win the election. In a previous interview with Breitbart News, Trump had indicated his disapproval of Smith, stating, “I wouldn’t keep him.” Trump had also taken to social media to advocate for Smith’s imprisonment. Despite Trump’s comments, neither Smith nor the Department of Justice have issued public responses.
While a federal judge dismissed the case involving classified documents in July, Smith’s office has lodged an appeal against the ruling. Trump continues to be entangled in federal charges in Washington related to Smith’s investigation, which accuses him of illicitly attempting to subvert the 2020 election. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in July granting presidents a significant degree of immunity from prosecution for their official actions prompted Smith to revise his case and file a superseding indictment in August. The indictment retained four charges against Trump, including obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy against rights, among others. Trump has maintained his innocence and criticized Smith and the DOJ for allegedly interfering in the election.
Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump’s Democratic opponent, referenced the Supreme Court ruling during a campaign event in North Carolina, emphasizing the high stakes of the upcoming election. In response to additional evidence presented by Smith, Harris released an ad targeting Trump that highlighted the election case and the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021. Trump’s legal team requested a delay in the release of further documents until after the election, citing concerns about a biased prosecutorial narrative being exploited for political gain. Despite these legal battles, Trump is scheduled for sentencing in November for falsifying business records in a case related to payments made during the 2016 election. Another election case in Fulton County, Georgia, has been postponed as Trump and other defendants appeal a judge’s decision regarding the involvement of the district attorney. Please rewrite this sentence.
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