Who is Jack Smith? Ex US special counsel defends his Trump investigations; POTUS calls him 'deranged animal'

Jack Smith, former special counsel, vigorously defended his case against Donald Trump on Thursday during a highly anticipated session with Republican critics in Congress, pointing to extensive evidence that Trump orchestrated a "criminal scheme" to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, according to AFP. Trump called him “deranged animal”, saying that he shouldn't be permitted to practice law.

Smith, who led two unsuccessful prosecutions of Trump, never had the chance to argue his case in court, the televised hearing before the House Judiciary Committee gave him a long-sought platform to present his arguments directly to the Americans.

A seasoned federal prosecutor and former war crimes attorney in The Hague, Smith told lawmakers that his investigative team had "developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt that President Trump engaged in criminal activity."

"Rather than accept his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power," he stated. Smith added that the decision to pursue charges against Trump was made "without regard to President Trump's political association, activities, beliefs, or candidacy in the 2024 presidential election".

Smith was appointed special counsel in 2022 by Attorney General Merrick Garland and brought charges against Trump for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, as well as in a separate case over the handling of classified documents.

The Republican president rejected both accusations, portraying them as politically driven and claiming the Justice Department had been used against him.

Neither case went to trial, and Smith dropped both after Trump won the November 2024 election, in keeping with a Justice Department policy that bars the prosecution of a sitting president. Smith has said his decision to bring charges against Trump was not based on political considerations.

'If he were a Republican, his license would be taken away from him'

Trump took to Truth Social and said, “Deranged Jack Smith is being DECIMATED before Congress. It was over when they discussed his past failures and unfair prosecutions. He destroyed many lives under the guise of legitimacy. Jack Smith is a deranged animal, who shouldn’t be allowed to practice Law. If he were a Republican, his license would be taken away from him, and far worse!”

Trump accused Smith of misconduct and urged the attorney general to examine his actions, including what Trump described as dishonest and corrupt witnesses involved in the case. He also dismissed the investigation as a "Democrat scam” and said those responsible should face serious consequences for the damage he claimed it caused the country.

Who is Jack Smith?

Jack Smith, 56, is an American lawyer who has held multiple roles within the US Department of Justice, including assistant US attorney, acting US attorney, and chief of the Public Integrity Section. He also served as the lead prosecutor at the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, an international tribunal in The Hague responsible for investigating and prosecuting war crimes committed during the Kosovo War.

He graduated from Liverpool High School in 1987, where he played both football and baseball. He later studied political science at the State University of New York at Oneonta, earning a bachelor of arts degree in 1991, graduating summa cum laude.

Smith went on to attend Harvard Law School, where he received his juris doctor cum laude in 1994. He began his legal career at the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office as an assistant district attorney before joining the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in 1999.

From November 18, 2022, until his resignation on January 10, 2025, Smith served as a Special Counsel for the Department of Justice.