In a dramatic and highly anticipated congressional appearance, former Special Counsel **Jack Smith** delivered what many are calling the most explosive testimony yet in the ongoing saga surrounding President Donald Trump’s legal battles. On January 22, 2026, Smith appeared before the House Judiciary Committee in a marathon five-hour hearing, where he unleashed a series of pointed statements that struck at the heart of Trump’s long-standing defenses. The session, originally convened by Republican Chairman Jim Jordan to scrutinize Smith’s past actions, instead became a platform for the former prosecutor to lay bare his assessment of Trump’s conduct—leaving the president reportedly rattled and prompting an immediate barrage of responses from Trump himself.
Smith, who led the high-profile investigations into Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and his handling of classified documents, did not hold back. In his opening remarks and throughout the questioning, he reiterated that his probes uncovered “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump had engaged in a “criminal scheme” to subvert the peaceful transfer of power. Most strikingly, Smith declared: “Our assessment of the evidence is that he is the person most responsible for what happened on January 6. He caused what happened. It was foreseeable to him, and then when it happened, he tried to exploit it in furtherance of the conspiracy.”
This blunt attribution of responsibility for the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack sent shockwaves through political circles. Smith emphasized that Trump had been “looking for ways to stay in power” after his electoral defeat, describing the actions as an “unprecedented criminal scheme” that violated the former president’s oath of office. He defended every major decision in his investigation—from seeking charges to pursuing evidence—as driven purely by facts and law, not politics.
The testimony came at a tense moment. Both of Smith’s federal cases against Trump—one related to election interference and the other to classified documents—were dropped after Trump’s 2024 reelection, in accordance with longstanding Department of Justice policy prohibiting the prosecution of a sitting president. Smith resigned shortly before Trump’s second inauguration in January 2025. Yet the hearing provided him with a rare public forum to present the arguments he was never able to fully make in court.
Trump, who closely followed the proceedings—reportedly from abroad after attending the World Economic Forum in Davos—reacted with fury. On Truth Social, he labeled Smith a “deranged animal” who “shouldn’t be allowed to practice Law” and called for his prosecution. Trump posted repeatedly during the hearing, claiming Smith was being “decimated” by Republican lawmakers and urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to scrutinize the former special counsel’s actions. Sources close to the White House suggest Trump views Smith’s statements as a direct personal attack, especially the repeated insistence on his culpability for January 6.
Despite intense grilling from Republican committee members—who accused Smith of partisan bias, questioned his use of toll records from lawmakers, and revisited disputed witness accounts like that of former aide Cassidy Hutchinson—Smith remained composed. He repeatedly denied any political motivation, stating, “I will not be intimidated,” and warned that attacks on prosecutors like himself serve as “a warning to others of what will happen if they stand up” for the rule of law.
Democrats on the committee hailed Smith’s testimony as a sobering reminder of the events surrounding January 6 and the broader threats to democracy. Ranking Member Jamie Raskin and others praised Smith for defending the integrity of his investigations while condemning what they described as Trump’s ongoing efforts to rewrite history and retaliate against perceived enemies.
The hearing has reignited fierce partisan divides. Republicans dismissed it as a partisan spectacle aimed at undermining the current administration, while critics of Trump argue it underscores unfinished business from his first term. Calls have resurfaced for the release of withheld portions of Smith’s final report, though a Trump-appointed judge has blocked some disclosures.
As the dust settles from this bombshell session, one thing is clear: Jack Smith’s words have landed like a thunderclap in an already polarized Washington. Trump, who once vowed accountability for his opponents, now finds himself on the defensive against a prosecutor who refuses to back down—even after the cases were halted. With Trump demanding investigations into Smith and the former special counsel standing firm, the political and legal reverberations from this hearing are far from over. The nation watches as the clash between accountability and power continues to unfold.
