Rosalind Evans
Former President Donald Trump has revealed that he has been informed by special counsel Jack Smith that he is now a target of the criminal investigation into the efforts to overturn the 2020 election. This announcement suggests that Trump may soon face charges brought by the special counsel.
Trump’s lawyers received a target letter from Smith’s team, which indicates that prosecutors are focusing on Trump’s own actions in the investigation, rather than just those around him who attempted to prevent his election loss. The target letter cites three statutes that Trump could potentially be charged with, including deprivation of rights, conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States, and tampering with a witness.
Although Trump’s legal team has not formally responded to the invitation to testify before the grand jury, it is widely expected that Trump will decline to do so. The unexpected nature of the target letter caught Trump’s team off guard, as they had not anticipated potential charges this month.
Trump’s advisors have been reaching out to lawyers and allies in an attempt to gather more information about the potential criminal case against the former president. However, so far, no one else has been identified as having received a target letter related to the special counsel’s investigation.
In response to the target letter, Trump described the probe as “election interference” and a “disgrace.” He also used the incident as an opportunity to fundraise for his campaign.
This is not the first time that Trump has received a target letter from Smith. In May, he received a similar letter in relation to the mishandling of classified documents.
Smith has been investigating the efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including the January 6 attack on the US Capitol and the pressure campaign against Vice President Mike Pence. The grand jury continues to hear from witnesses, and a close Trump adviser is expected to appear on Thursday.
Federal prosecutors have been conducting interviews with officials from all seven battleground states that were targeted by Trump and his allies in their attempts to overturn the election results.
While a target letter does not guarantee that an indictment will follow, it is a strong indication that charges may be imminent. Trump’s legal battles continue as he faces multiple indictments, having already been charged twice this year.
As the investigation progresses, the public and political figures eagerly await further developments in this high-profile case.
