Former Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith informed lawmakers during a closed-door interview that his investigative team had established substantial evidence indicating that President Donald Trump conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 election. Smith also indicated that there was significant proof that Trump unlawfully retained classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and obstructed efforts to recover these records.

Smith emphasized that his decisions during the investigation were made independently of Trump's political affiliations or activities, stating that actions were taken based solely on factual evidence and legal requirements. He asserted that he would pursue prosecution under similar circumstances, regardless of the president's party affiliation.

The interview, conducted before the House Judiciary Committee, marked the first opportunity for lawmakers from both parties to question Smith regarding two investigations into Trump, which had previously resulted in abandoned criminal charges. Smith was subpoenaed by the Republican-led committee as part of a GOP inquiry into the investigations initiated during the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden.

Despite the subpoena, Smith's legal team noted that he had previously offered to testify publicly, a proposal that was declined by Republican members. Trump had expressed support for an open hearing.

Smith's attorney characterized his testimony as courageous, given the ongoing backlash from the Trump administration against officials involved in the investigations. Smith was appointed in 2022 to oversee inquiries into Trump's attempts to overturn the election results and the mishandling of classified documents. Although charges were filed in both cases, they were later dropped following Trump's re-election, based on legal opinions stating that a sitting president cannot be indicted.

Democratic lawmakers who attended the interview suggested that the decision to keep the testimony private was strategic, as it prevented potentially damaging information about Trump from being publicly disclosed. They have called for Smith's testimony and full report to be made available to the public, arguing that transparency is essential for the American people.

The context of Smith's interview includes ongoing efforts by some Republican members of Congress to undermine the investigations into Trump, including the selective release of documents and emails related to the inquiries. Recent disclosures have indicated that the investigative team analyzed phone records of certain GOP lawmakers during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, when pro-Trump supporters attempted to disrupt the certification of the election results. Smith's legal team has contended that the Republicans have misrepresented the nature of this analysis.

Additionally, Republican Senator Chuck Grassley released internal FBI emails suggesting that there was initially skepticism about the need for a search of Mar-a-Lago. However, subsequent reports indicated that classified documents were indeed found during the search, contradicting claims that the investigation was politically motivated.