Trump's Influence May Undermine Jordan's Case Against Smith

WHO:

Alternet - President Trump shared a blog post about Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) referring Jack Smith for criminal prosecution.

NBC News Politics - Rep. Jim Jordan is the House Judiciary Committee Chairman.

WHAT:

NBC News Politics - Jim Jordan sent a letter to the Justice Department requesting a criminal investigation of Jack Smith.

Alternet - Trump claimed Jack Smith lied under oath, stating, "Justice at last???" in his post.

Alternet - Legal expert Elie Honig stated that there is no valid, provable federal crime against Jack Smith.

Alternet - Honig explained that the allegation against Smith is based on his testimony regarding text messages involving members of Congress.

Alternet - Honig noted that to prove perjury, a specific, clear question and a specific, clear false answer must be shown.

WHERE:

Alternet - The congressional deposition in question took place in Washington, D.C.

WHEN:

Alternet - Jack Smith testified in December regarding the text messages.

Alternet - The DOJ may face a decision regarding an indictment of Jack Smith, which could lead to a dismissal based on "vindictive prosecution."

WHY:

Alternet - Jordan alleges that Smith made false statements during his congressional deposition.

Alternet - Honig anticipates that if the DOJ tries to indict Smith, he will likely argue "vindictive prosecution" due to Trump's public support for the case against him.

HOW:

Alternet - The investigation request is based on Jordan's claims that Smith's testimony included "half-truths" regarding the content of text messages.

(UPDATED July 23, 2026 13:28 UTC)

President Trump recently shared a blog post supporting Rep. Jim Jordan, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman, who has requested a criminal investigation into Jack Smith, alleging that Smith made false statements during his congressional deposition in Washington, D.C. In his post, Trump claimed that Smith lied under oath and questioned whether justice would finally be served, while legal expert Elie Honig stated that there is no valid federal crime against Smith, emphasizing the difficulty of proving perjury. Honig noted that the allegations stem from Smith's testimony about text messages involving members of Congress, and if the DOJ moves forward with an indictment, Smith may argue that it constitutes "vindictive prosecution" due to Trump's involvement.