A newly released report from the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ) suggests that former President Donald Trump would have faced a conviction for election interference if he had not been re-elected in 2024. The 137-page document, prepared by Special Counsel Jack Smith, asserts that there was sufficient admissible evidence to obtain and sustain a conviction in a trial. The report focuses on Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election result, which he lost to Joe Biden.
Trump was accused of pressuring officials to alter the election outcome, spreading false claims of voter fraud, and attempting to exploit the violence during the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection to further his goals. Despite these accusations, Trump denied any wrongdoing, labeling the investigation as politically motivated. In response to the release of the report, Trump took to his Truth Social platform, calling Smith’s findings “fake” and mocking the prosecutor for failing to bring charges before the 2024 election.
The release of the report comes after Trump’s successful re-election in November 2024, which has effectively shielded him from immediate legal consequences. Smith, who was appointed to investigate Trump, has since resigned, and a judge ruled to release the first part of his report. A second portion of the report, which details allegations of Trump’s illegal possession of classified government documents, is still under consideration by the courts.
The report also discusses the legal complications arising from Trump’s re-election. Under DoJ regulations, sitting presidents cannot be indicted, and the 2024 election raised new questions about how to proceed with legal actions involving a newly elected president. The DoJ’s stance is clear: but for Trump’s return to office, the evidence would have been enough for a conviction.
As the legal battles continue, the case highlights the ongoing scrutiny of Trump’s actions and their potential implications for his presidency.
