In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump expressed his strong stance on the matter, stating that if he were to be re-elected for a second term in the White House, he would promptly dismiss the individual responsible for bringing forth numerous federal felony charges against him.
During an interview with conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt, Trump was asked what his priorities would be on his first day in office. He was given two options: pardon himself or terminate Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith.
Smith was responsible for overseeing the federal prosecutions against Trump, which accused him of illegally working to undermine the 2020 election, mishandling classified documents, and resisting the government’s efforts to recover them.
According to Trump, making the choice would be a breeze.
“I would immediately terminate his employment,” Trump declared, referring to Smith. He further expressed his doubt that House Democrats would take steps to impeach him in the event of his decision, should they regain control of the chamber in November.”
“I don’t believe they will impeach me if I dismiss Jack Smith,” Trump asserted. “In my opinion, Jack Smith is a scoundrel; he’s incredibly dishonest and mean-spirited. The issue with him is that his meanness often leads him to cross boundaries.”
Later on, he went on to threaten Smith with a lawsuit over the raid that took place at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, which was connected to the classified documents case.
Typically, the authority to hire or dismiss a special counsel lies with the attorney general. However, in the case of Trump, he could easily nominate a special counsel who would do so, as well as take steps to shut down the federal cases against him.
Former President Donald Trump is currently facing four felony charges in the election subversion case. These charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding.
Despite the accusations, Trump has maintained his innocence and denounced the case as politically driven. The proceedings in the case have recently resumed following a Supreme Court ruling on the matter of immunity earlier this summer.
The federal judge, Aileen Cannon, who was nominated by Trump, dismissed the classified documents case. However, Smith is currently appealing the ruling.
In response to the judge’s decision, Trump expressed his admiration for her, referring to her as “brilliant” and “brave.” There are even reports suggesting that Cannon is being considered for the position of attorney general.
Trump has consistently targeted Smith, labeling him as “deranged” and advocating for his imprisonment or institutionalization.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign strongly criticized Trump for his comments. They highlighted comments made by his former chief of staff, John Kelly, who stated that he believes Trump fits the definition of a “fascist” and would relish the opportunity to become a dictator if he were to return to the White House.
“Ammar Moussa, the rapid response director for the Harris campaign, stated that these recent comments from Donald Trump are consistent with the concerns expressed by his former Chief of Staff, who warned that Trump aspires to govern like a dictator with unrestricted authority.
Moussa further emphasized that a potential second term for Trump, where he would have even fewer restraints and be surrounded by loyalists who enable his most extreme impulses, poses an even greater threat. The prospect of another term under Trump’s leadership is deemed too perilous for America to take.”
In regards to the vice president’s town hall on CNN, Trump criticized her, referring to her as “an embarrassment.”
“I saw her performance on CNN last night,” Trump commented. “It was truly embarrassing to witness someone running for president and representing a major party behaving in such a way.”
Instead of participating in a debate on CNN, Trump chose not to attend and instead declined the network’s invitation for a town hall of his own. This decision came after his initial face-off against Harris last month.