Politics briefing

Jack Smith tells senators he stands by Trump cases, won’t be silenced

Former special counsel Jack Smith told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday he stands by the two federal indictments of President Donald Trump and “will not be silenced” by threats of prosecution, as Republicans pressed him over subpoenas for lawmakers’ phone records and Democrats defended the probes.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-09-29T14:14:00-07:00

Empty Hart Senate Office Building hearing room with curved dais and microphones

Editor’s note: Primary sourcing: Associated Press (Eric Tucker, Alanna Durkin Richer) via WTOP/WTAP, Sep 29, 2026 — hearing quotes, toll-records focus, Jordan referral context, Durbin/Grassley framing. ABC News (Alexander Mallin), Sep 29, 2026, 1:49 p.m. ET — opening-statement quotes, Cruz/Booker exchange, Schmitt Hawks/Hawkeyes episode, team firings, Cannon Volume II constraint. Roll Call (Michael Macagnone), Sep 29, 2026, 1:36 p.m. — “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” line, PIN second-indictment exchange, Caitlin Clark/Maryland–Iowa detail. Smith’s written Senate Judiciary statement (official PDF), Sep 29, 2026 — “will not be silenced,” rule-of-law passage, Cannon/DOJ scope limits. Hearing was underway/wrapping through early afternoon PT; US Brief has not independently verified every exchange beyond these outlets. Tue Sep 29 ~2:20 p.m. PT: added explicit AP/Roll Call attribution to paraphrased Grassley, Durbin, and Schmitt–Klobuchar exchanges; no substantive changes.

Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith forcefully defended his two federal prosecutions of President Donald Trump before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, telling lawmakers he stands by the charges and will not be silenced by threats that he himself could be prosecuted.

What happened: In sworn testimony and a written opening statement, Smith said he brought the cases without regard to Trump’s politics or 2024 candidacy and that investigators developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt of serious crimes. “If asked whether to prosecute a former President based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that President was a Republican or a Democrat,” his Senate statement said. Both the election-interference and Mar-a-Lago classified-documents indictments were dropped after Trump’s 2024 win under Justice Department policy barring federal indictment of a sitting president.

What Republicans pressed: Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and other Republicans cast the probes as a political fishing expedition, arguing Smith’s team mapped “the Republican apparatus” by seeking sweeping records, the Associated Press reported. They focused heavily on subpoenas for “toll records” — call date, time, duration, and numbers, not content — of Republican members of Congress contacted around Jan. 6, 2021. Smith said the records corroborated evidence that Trump and alleged co-conspirators sought to leverage the Capitol violence to further delay certification, that such subpoenas are common, and that the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section approved them.

Threats and referral: Smith told the panel he stands by prior House testimony and “will not be silenced by the continued threats of prosecution from the President or others.” In July, House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) referred Smith to DOJ over alleged misleading answers about lawmaker records — a claim Smith’s lawyers call spurious. Attorney General Todd Blanche has said the department was examining that referral. Smith also said career prosecutors and agents who worked for him have been fired or targeted illegally and that the rule of law faces challenges “unlike any we have experienced in our lifetime.”

What Democrats argued: Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) said Republican attacks are a “smoke screen” to distract from Trump’s conduct, AP reported, and that Smith was only given a public Senate forum after Democrats pressed for it. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) accused Republicans of gaslighting the public about the 2020 election; Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) later rebuked a colleague who called Smith a “dirtbag” after a mix-up over a basketball team name.

Notable exchange: Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) accused Smith of perjury over texts referring to a “Hawks” game, implying an Atlanta visit tied to Georgia prosecutors. Smith said he attended a University of Maryland women’s basketball game against the Iowa Hawkeyes — not an Atlanta Hawks game — and that DOJ would have attendance records. Klobuchar said Schmitt should “get [his] facts straight,” according to AP and Roll Call accounts.

Limits on what Smith can say: A standing order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon still restricts discussion of Volume II of Smith’s report on the classified-documents case; Smith said DOJ’s reading of that order means he can discuss that matter only as set out in public filings.

Why it matters: The hearing is the highest-profile public clash yet between Smith and Senate Republicans who want him investigated, while Democrats cast the session as an attempt to rewrite Jan. 6 history. It does not revive the dropped Trump cases, but it keeps the fight over DOJ “weaponization,” congressional records subpoenas, and possible prosecution of Smith in the midterm spotlight.

Uncertainty: Live coverage differed on exact wording of some oral exchanges; US Brief relies on AP, ABC News, Roll Call, and Smith’s official written statement. Outcomes of Jordan’s referral and any further contempt or records fights remain unresolved.

What's next: Watch whether DOJ acts on the Jordan referral, whether additional Smith-related records are released by Grassley’s panel, and whether Democrats schedule further public testimony.

Method note: US Brief digests are AI-assisted from the US Brief desk. We synthesize reputable reporting with cited sources; we do not invent quotes, figures, or forecasts.

Follow US Brief: Bluesky · X · RSS

Full interactive version requires JavaScript. https://us-brief.com/article/pol-jack-smith-senate-judiciary

National & world Daily briefing

Know what happened.
Know why it matters.

Get clear, sourced briefings on US news, politics, technology, world affairs, finance, and entertainment. Catch up in minutes—no clickbait, no wasted time.

Back to Politics briefing Politics

Jack Smith tells senators he stands by Trump cases, won’t be silenced

Former special counsel Jack Smith told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday he stands by the two federal indictments of President Donald Trump and “will not be silenced” by threats of prosecution, as Republicans pressed him over subpoenas for lawmakers’ phone records and Democrats defended the probes.

By US Brief desk · Updated 2026-09-29T14:14:00-07:00

AI-assisted digests from the US Brief desk. Synthesizes reputable reporting with cited sources; not a wire service. Corrections welcomed.

Empty Hart Senate Office Building hearing room with curved dais and microphones

Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith forcefully defended his two federal prosecutions of President Donald Trump before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday, telling lawmakers he stands by the charges and will not be silenced by threats that he himself could be prosecuted.

What happened: In sworn testimony and a written opening statement, Smith said he brought the cases without regard to Trump’s politics or 2024 candidacy and that investigators developed proof beyond a reasonable doubt of serious crimes. “If asked whether to prosecute a former President based on the same facts today, I would do so regardless of whether that President was a Republican or a Democrat,” his Senate statement said. Both the election-interference and Mar-a-Lago classified-documents indictments were dropped after Trump’s 2024 win under Justice Department policy barring federal indictment of a sitting president.

Like US Brief? You can support it with a tip.