Overview
- The committee published an eight-hour, 255-page record and video of Smith’s Dec. 17 closed-door interview on New Year’s Eve.
- Smith said his team developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt in both Trump cases and described Trump as the most culpable person in a conspiracy that led to Jan. 6, which he said Trump caused and exploited.
- He asserted the charging calls were his alone, rejected claims of political influence, and said he never spoke with President Biden or the White House about the probes.
- Pressed on investigative tactics, Smith acknowledged approving secret subpoenas for lawmakers’ toll and phone records and said judges were not told the targets were members of Congress, which he defended as lawful to avoid obstruction.
- Citing DOJ limits and a court injunction, Smith said he could not discuss many specifics of the classified-documents case; he noted prosecutors had evaluated potential co-conspirator charges before the office shut down after Trump’s 2024 reelection.