Donald Trump Declares “Major Victory” As January 6 & Classified Documents Cases Dropped By Special Counsel

Dominic Patten

25 November 2024 at 1:54 pm·2-min read

Just less than two months before Donald Trump returns to the White House, the former and future president saw two of his most treacherous legal battles end with whimpers.

Reading the clear writing on the wall, Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith filed paperwork Monday to drop the felony charges against Trump related to 2020 election subversion that led to the bloody January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol.

More from Deadline

“The Department’s position is that the Constitution requires that this case be dismissed before the defendant is inaugurated,” Smith said in the short filing before the federal court in Washington, DC. “This outcome is not based on the merits or strength of the case against the defendant.”

Leaning into the long-standing DOJ guidelines avoiding prosecuting a sitting president (or in this case, a soon-to-be sitting POTUS), Smith has moved to dismiss the January 6 criminal case withour prejudice, which means it could be filed again once Trump is finally out of office. Of course, Trump could endgame the whole thing by pardoning himself, but that might open up a whole new can of Constitutional worms.

Smith is also pulling the plug on the case investigating the alleged mishandling of classified documents by Trump. The case against Trump’s co-defendants in that matter will move forward, for now.

The abrupt end to the two cases is no real surprise, with Smith himself already exiting the DOJ upon the results of Trump trouncing Vice President Kamala Harris on in the election November 5.

With Trump having threatened to fire Smith ASAP on January 20, 2025, Monday’s moves are a clear wins for Trump as he consolidates power.

And he knows it.

“The American People re-elected President Trump with an overwhelming mandate to Make America Great Again. Today’s decision by the DOJ ends the unconstitutional federal cases against President Trump and is a major victory for the rule of law,” Trump communications director Steven Cheung told Deadline this morning. “The American People and President Trump want an immediate end to the political weaponization of our justice system and we look forward to uniting our country.”

Best of Deadline

The Hill
Trump on Syria conflict: ‘This is not our fight’
President-elect Trump heavily criticized Syrian rebels for their move to overtake the city of Damascus on Saturday, but emphasized that this was not America’s fight. “Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they…
Futurism
US Military Alarmed by Russian Nuclear Weapon Platform in Orbit
A Russian spacecraft launched higher than most satellites has long had the Pentagon worried — and new revelations about what it contains onboard have made those concerns all the greater. Launched in early 2022, Russia's Cosmos 2553 spacecraft is nominally built to test out "newly developed onboard instruments and systems." According to new reporting from the New York Times, however, the mysterious satellite system contains a "dummy warhead"
The Daily Beast
Trump Directly Addresses Pete Hegseth Alcoholism Allegations
President-elect Donald Trump gave his strongest endorsement yet of his defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth in which he addressed allegations of Hegseth’s drinking habits in an interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker. The clip was posted as a sneak preview of Trump’s first one-on-one interview since winning the November election, with the full interview set to air on Sunday. Trump told Welker that he remains unfazed by reports that Pete Hegseth, a military veteran and former Fox News host, had suf
The Independent
Ukraine-Russia war latest: Russian strikes kill 12 as Kyiv unveils new long-range ‘rocket-drone’
Ukraine says new drone can fly more than double the range of ATACMS and Storm Shadows
NewsWire
‘Outrage’: Albo ripped over Synagogue comments
A prominent Jewish commentator has been left outraged over the Prime Minister’s comments after the synagogue fire in Melbourne, calling out his “lack of leadership”.
CNN Business
There’s a rude awakening in store for the DOGE bros
Once upon a time, a brash outsider entered the Oval Office with a promise to “drain the swamp.” He brought in a posse of businesspeople, led by a leading industrialist, to work like “tireless bloodhounds” to root out inefficiencies in Washington’s vast bureaucracy.
The Independent
An Alabama couple were ardent Trump supporters. Then their trans son told them he wanted to die
Once news outlets called the election for Trump in the early hours of November 6, panic ripped through the LGBTQIA+ community and hotlines saw a dramatic surge in calls. Michelle Del Rey reports
HuffPost
'He Knows That He F**ked Up': James Carville Calls Biden 'Most Tragic Figure' In U.S. Politics
The Democratic strategist slammed Biden for not exiting the presidential race sooner and lamented that his otherwise "stunning" legacy is now overshadowed.
CNN
What the Syrian rebellion could mean for the balance of power in the Middle East
Western and Arab states, as well as Israel, would like to see Iran’s influence in Syria curtailed, but none wish for a radical Islamist regime to replace Assad.
CNN
Video of military police officer throwing man off bridge sparks anger in Brazil
A military police officer has been arrested in Brazil after a video emerged of him throwing a civilian over a bridge in Sao Paulo on Monday, sparking protests in the city.
Yahoo News Australia
Aussies face new rules as camping banned after 'secret' 4WD beach exposed
Many places becoming so popular that the environment cannot sustain the level of use, authorities say. So changes are coming.
BBC
Prince William and Trump meet after Notre-Dame reopening
William joins other world leaders in Paris for the ceremonial reopening of the world-famous cathedral.
CNN
Defense secretary announces nearly $1 billion in Ukraine aid as he forcefully argues for global US leadership
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday announced a $1 billion military aid package for Ukraine as he forcefully argued for US leadership around the world.
HuffPost UK
Putin Minister Accidentally Hints At Daunting Ukraine War Stat Which Kremlin Has Tried To Keep Secret
Her colleague quickly pleaded to viewers: "I earnestly ask you not to use these figures anywhere."
Yahoo Finance AU
Major banks RBA interest rate cut predictions days before crucial 2024 call for struggling mortgage holders
ANZ, Westpac and NAB are all in agreement in when the first rate cut could come, while Commonwealth Bank remains the defiant outlier.
CNN
Truong My Lan: Vietnamese tycoon in a race to repay $9 billion to avoid execution
Property tycoon Truong My Lan was one of Vietnam’s richest businesswomen. She amassed an eye-wateringly valuable portfolio of luxury homes, hotels and commercial properties all over the country and abroad – allegedly by effectively turning a major bank into her own personal ATM.
The Daily Beast
Putin’s Pals Say Tucker Carlson Is Acting as a Secret Back-Channel to Trump
Tucker Carlson, the darling of the Russian state media, returned to Moscow this week, apparently intent on boosting Vladimir Putin’s key message on Ukraine. The Kremlin’s TV stooges suggested he may have had an even more sinister ulterior motive. During Carlson’s second pilgrimage to Moscow, he interviewed Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. The interview, broadcast Thursday night, allowed the former Fox News star to push the Kremlin’s agenda that the U.S. should back off the war in Ukraine
CNN
Syrian rebel leader says goal is to ‘overthrow’ Assad regime
The goal of Syria’s rebel coalition, as it wrests another major city from government control this week, is ultimately to overthrow authoritarian President Bashar al-Assad, according to Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, the militant leader of the main group driving the country’s armed opposition.
The Independent
Melania admits that she doesn't dance like Trump as she hawks ornaments and jewelry on Fox & Friends
“These are awesome! These are fantastic,” Fox & Friends host Brian Kilmeade exclaimed while displaying the incoming first lady’s Christmas ornaments, which buyers can purchase for $90 a piece.
Sky News
With America's presidential transition, Syria's fast-moving conflict presents a unique geopolitical challenge
There was a time not all that long ago when the United States would be seeking clearly to drive and define a particular narrative and outcome for the events unfolding in the Middle East. Seeking to mould events to its own benefit has been a central tenet of American foreign policy. President Biden is still running things at the White House but his ability to influence events in the Middle East, if he is even inclined to, has been shown to be limited.

Latest stories