Trump’s former prosecutor is set to testify publicly, but the timing is what has Republicans buzzing

Jack Smith, the former U.S. Justice Department special counsel who brought two now-dropped criminal cases against President Donald Trump, is set to testify publicly before the House Judiciary Committee on January 22. As highlighted by Reuters, the hearing follows months of pressure from Republican lawmakers who have sought to undermine Smith’s investigation.

Republican Representative Jim Jordan, who chairs the committee, announced the hearing late Monday and said it will begin at 10 AM. The appearance comes as Trump’s party holds a narrow majority in both the House of Representatives and the Senate, raising the political stakes surrounding the testimony.

Smith has already appeared before the committee once, testifying privately in mid-December after a series of disclosures by Republican lawmakers and Trump-aligned Justice Department officials. Those efforts were aimed at reinforcing Trump’s claims that the investigations amounted to an abuse of power, claims similar to the kind of fiery rhetoric President Trump has used in other arenas, like when he faced criticism from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren and then called her directly to confront the backlash.

The timing is drawing renewed scrutiny

During the closed-door session, Smith defended his work and told lawmakers that the prosecutions “rest entirely with President Trump and his actions.” He has repeatedly said his office followed Justice Department policy and was not driven by politics, despite allegations to the contrary from Trump and his allies.

Smith was appointed special counsel in 2022 and secured indictments in 2023 accusing Trump of attempting to overturn the 2020 election and of improperly retaining classified documents after leaving office. Both cases were dropped after Trump won the 2024 election, in line with Justice Department policy barring prosecution of a sitting president.

Attention on the upcoming hearing has intensified following the committee’s release of 255 pages of Smith’s December testimony around New Year’s Eve. The transcript includes Smith’s account that Trump privately acknowledged losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, contradicting Trump’s public claims, the same public claims that have fueled a broader culture war, including moments like when Trump issued ominous warnings to Minnesota leaders after protests tied to an ICE shooting.

Trump had declared victory in that election, and some of his supporters later stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an effort to halt certification of the results. After beginning his second term in January 2025, Trump issued pardons to those involved.

The Republican-led committee has been the main forum for efforts to challenge Smith’s investigation, and releasing the transcript ahead of the public hearing underscores that strategy. Lawmakers are expected to focus their questioning on the motivations and conduct behind the original prosecutions when Smith testifies on January 22.