Jack Smith after the Trump cases: his reports, the probes of him and his testimony

Active · last development Sep 28, 2026: “Watch live: Jack Smith testifies before Senate panel on Trump prosecutions”

What this arc covers

Former special counsel Jack Smith after his prosecutions of Donald Trump ended: the court fights over releasing his reports, his resignation in January 2025, Trump's move against a law firm helping him, the watchdog investigation of him, the House Republican subpoena and his closed-door and public testimony defending the investigations, the revelation that his team reviewed communications of dozens of lawmakers, the charges against a former prosecutor over his investigation's documents, and the accusation that he lied to Congress.

Photo from ABC 30 Fresno, with Watch live: Jack Smith testifies before Senate panel on Trump prosecutions (Sep 28, 2026), the story with the most independent sources this week.

Earliest story we hold Nov 13, 2024 · 30 stories · 146 independent sources (counted once each) · 684 days

Part ofDonald TrumpUnited States Department of JusticeJim JordanAileen CannonFederal Bureau of InvestigationMerrick GarlandDemocratic PartyUnited States House of Representatives

Part of Trump's criminal cases

  1. The Supreme Court's 2024 ruling that presidents have immunity for official actsJan 8 – Aug 27, 2024
  2. The Georgia election case against Trump, from Fani Willis's removal to its endJan 9, 2024 – Jan 8, 2026
  3. The federal classified documents case against Trump and its dismissalFeb 12, 2024 – Sep 24, 2026
  4. Trump's New York hush money case and his conviction on 34 felony countsFeb 14, 2024 – Aug 28, 2026
  5. The federal 2020 election case against Trump, from its new indictment to its endAug 2, 2024 – Jan 14, 2025
  6. Jack Smith after the Trump cases: his reports, the probes of him and his testimonyThis arcNov 13, 2024 – Sep 28, 2026

Where it standsnewest first · each bar runs left to right by leaning

Sep 28– 292026Watch live: Jack Smith testifies before Senate panel on Trump prosecutions38 articles · 24 independent sources
6 left, 7 center, 7 right
Jul 22– 252026House Republican accuses Jack Smith of lying to Congress about Trump probe59 articles · 51 independent sources
8 left, 9 center, 16 right
Jul 14– 182026Documents Prove that Jack Smith Read the Private Texts of 44 Members of Congress11 articles · 11 independent sources
0 left, 1 center, 9 right

Key momentsthe most covered; every story is below

  1. Jan 7, 2025Judge blocks release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report48 articles · 34 independent sources
  2. Jan 7 – 14, 2025Judge clears the way for release of special counsel Smith's report on Trump's 2020 election case54 articles · 29 independent sources
    1. Jan 7, 2025Trump seeks to block 'imminent' release of special counsel Jack Smith's report
    2. Jan 8, 2025Justice Department says it plans to release only part of special counsel’s Trump report for now
    3. Jan 9, 2025Garland tells Congress he’ll provide Trump special counsel report to leaders when courts allow
    4. Jan 10, 2025Appeals court allows special counsel's report about Trump's election interference case to be released to the public
  3. Jan 11 – 12, 2025Special counsel Jack Smith has resigned after submitting his Trump report, Justice Department says78 articles · 45 independent sources
  4. Aug 2 – 3, 2025Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces investigation by independent political watchdog52 articles · 34 independent sources
  5. Jan 22 – 23, 2026Jack Smith defends investigations into Trump during House Judiciary Committee hearing41 articles · 34 independent sources
  6. Jul 22 – 25, 2026House Republican accuses Jack Smith of lying to Congress about Trump probe59 articles · 51 independent sources
  7. Sep 28 – 29, 2026Watch live: Jack Smith testifies before Senate panel on Trump prosecutions38 articles · 24 independent sources

Who covered it, over timeindependent sources per week, by side

Nov 2024Mar 2025Aug 2025Dec 2025May 2026Sep 2026

LeftCenterRight

Point at or tap a week to see its count by side.

Every week as a table
Week ofLeftCenterRightArticles
Nov 11, 2024310730
Jan 6, 2025152817204
Jan 13, 202548539
Feb 24, 202522612
Jul 28, 2025412550
Aug 25, 20252209
Oct 6, 2025331021
Oct 13, 20251035
Oct 20, 20250539
Dec 1, 20251248
Dec 15, 202556528
Dec 29, 202512112
Jan 12, 202622214
Jan 19, 20261016669
Feb 23, 202646624
May 18, 202631217
Jul 6, 202600810
Jul 13, 2026231532
Jul 20, 2026891659
Sep 28, 202667738

Stories before June 28, 2026 come from archived pages, so who covered them is limited to the outlets we recovered for that period.

29% left · 42% center · 29% right of 146 independent sources among the outlets we track, across 30 stories.

Every storyoldest first

  1. November 2024

    Nov 13Special counsel Jack Smith and his team to resign before Trump takes office30 articles · 25 independent sources
    3 left, 10 center, 7 right

  2. January 2025

    Jan 7Judge blocks release of special counsel Jack Smith’s report48 articles · 34 independent sources
    7 left, 11 center, 9 right
  3. Jan 7– 10Appeals court denies bid to block public release of special counsel's report on Trump Jan. 6 probe29 articles · 18 independent sources
    0 left, 7 center, 4 right
  4. Jan 7– 14Judge clears the way for release of special counsel Smith's report on Trump's 2020 election case54 articles · 29 independent sources
    7 left, 10 center, 5 right
  5. Jan 7– 8DOJ plans to release part of Special Counsel Jack Smith report on Trump despite Judge Cannon order8 articles · 4 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 0 right
  6. Jan 8– 10Appeals court allows special counsel's report about Trump's election interference case to be released to the public14 articles · 9 independent sources
    1 left, 3 center, 2 right
  7. Jan 8Justice Department says it plans to release only part of special counsel’s Trump report for now12 articles · 12 independent sources
    3 left, 1 center, 1 right
  8. Jan 11– 12Special counsel Jack Smith has resigned after submitting his Trump report, Justice Department says78 articles · 45 independent sources
    7 left, 13 center, 8 right
  9. Jan 13Judge Cannon OKs release of special counsel’s report into Trump and election subversion9 articles · 8 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 1 right

  10. February 2025

    Feb 25– 26Trump moves to suspend security clearances of lawyers at DC law firm helping Jack Smith12 articles · 12 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 6 right

  11. August 2025

    Aug 2– 3Ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith faces investigation by independent political watchdog52 articles · 34 independent sources
    4 left, 12 center, 5 right
  12. Aug 26Inquiry into former Trump prosecutor Jack Smith is based on ‘imaginary premise,’ lawyers say9 articles · 9 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 0 right

  13. October 2025

    Oct 6– 7Former Special Counsel Jack Smith Monitored Private Communications Of Nearly A Dozen GOP Senators10 articles · 9 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 8 right
  14. Oct 7FBI analyzed lawmakers’ phone records during Trump Jan. 6 probe, Republicans say11 articles · 11 independent sources
    2 left, 3 center, 2 right
  15. Oct 14House Republicans seek testimony from ex-Trump prosecutor Jack Smith5 articles · 5 independent sources
    1 left, 0 center, 3 right

  17. December 2025

    Dec 3Ex-special counsel Jack Smith subpoenaed by House Republicans in review of Trump probes8 articles · 8 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 4 right
  18. Dec 17– 18Jack Smith defends his prosecutions of Trump in closed-door session in Congress18 articles · 16 independent sources
    5 left, 3 center, 4 right
  19. Dec 17Jack Smith set for private interview with lawmakers about Trump investigations12 articles · 8 independent sources
    0 left, 3 center, 1 right
  20. Dec 31– Jan 1Capitol riot ‘does not happen’ without Trump, Jack Smith told Congress12 articles · 12 independent sources
    1 left, 2 center, 1 right

  21. January 2026

    Jan 13Former special counsel Jack Smith to testify publicly about Trump probes14 articles · 10 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 2 right
  22. Jan 22– 23Jack Smith defends investigations into Trump during House Judiciary Committee hearing41 articles · 34 independent sources
    10 left, 14 center, 5 right
  23. Jan 22Watch live: Jack Smith testifies before House Judiciary Committee30 articles · 10 independent sources
    1 left, 4 center, 2 right

  24. February 2026

    Feb 23– 24Judge blocks release of special counsel Jack Smith's report on Trump classified documents case25 articles · 25 independent sources
    4 left, 6 center, 6 right

  25. May 2026

    May 20– 21Former DOJ prosecutor charged with stealing confidential Jack Smith investigation documents about Trump18 articles · 11 independent sources
    3 left, 1 center, 2 right

  26. July 2026

    Jul 8– 10DOJ records reveal possible classified security lapses inside Jack Smith’s office during Trump prosecution10 articles · 10 independent sources
    0 left, 0 center, 8 right
  27. Jul 14– 16Jack Smith reviewed texts from 44 lawmakers, senators say21 articles · 12 independent sources
    2 left, 2 center, 10 right
  28. Jul 14– 18Documents Prove that Jack Smith Read the Private Texts of 44 Members of Congress11 articles · 11 independent sources
    0 left, 1 center, 9 right
  29. Jul 22– 25House Republican accuses Jack Smith of lying to Congress about Trump probe59 articles · 51 independent sources
    8 left, 9 center, 16 right

  30. September 2026

    Sep 28– 29Watch live: Jack Smith testifies before Senate panel on Trump prosecutions38 articles · 24 independent sources
    6 left, 7 center, 7 right