A special prosecutor tells the court he is assessing the future of the criminal case against Trump

CNN
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Special counsel Jack Smith could make a decision on December 2 on the resolution of Donald Trump’s criminal case surrounding the events surrounding the 2020 election, he told a federal judge on Friday.

He asked federal district judge Tanya Chutkan to throw out any upcoming deadlines so his office can assess how to proceed if Trump returns to the presidency. Chutkan granted the request.

This is the first step in which Smith publicly indicates that he is preparing to conclude the case against Trump.

CNN has reported that the special counsel has already been in active discussions with senior Justice Department officials about how to handle the case.

“As a result of the elections on November 5, 2024, it is expected that the defendant will be certified as President-elect on January 6, 2025, and inaugurated on January 20, 2025. The Government respectfully requests that the Court vacate the remaining terms. in the pretrial schedule to allow the government time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course of action moving forward, consistent with Department of Justice policy,” prosecutors wrote in a one-page filing .

“By December 2, 2024, the government will submit a status report or otherwise inform the Court of the outcome of its deliberations,” she added.

Republicans in the House of Representatives are officially notifying Smith as Trump returns to the White House and Republicans have a chance to retain their majority in the House.

House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan and Republican Rep. Barry Loudermilk, who is leading the investigation into the former Jan. 6 committee, sent Smith a letter telling him to keep his records and comply with their previous requests.

Trump has said several times that he plans to fire Smith and end federal cases against him over his attempt to overturn the 2020 presidential election and mishandling classified documents.

CNN’s Annie Grayer contributed to this report.

This story has been updated with additional developments.