The US Justice Department will wind down its investigations against President-Elect Donald Trump in the wake of Trump's reelection on Tuesday. The move is being undertaken in view of the longstanding tradition that the Justice Department does not prosecute a sitting president, which Trump will be come January 20, 2025. In addition, the department is seeking to preempt a move by Trump to dismiss Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, which he has vowed to do once in office. Smith is leading two investigations against Trump on allegations of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and of mishandling classified documents after he left office in 2021. The Daily Wire reported that Smith will be dismissed before Trump's inauguration. Smith had previously appealed a Flordia judge's dismissing of the classified documents case. Related articles: Trump extends TikTok sale deadline again as talks continue 'I'd like to get as many hostages as we can' Netanyahu may visit the US next week Trump signals Iran may seek direct talks on nuclear deal Former Attorney General Bill Barr called for the DOJ to drop the cases against Trump in an interview with Fox News Digital on Wednesday. "Further maneuvering on these cases in the weeks ahead would serve no legitimate purpose and only distract the country and the incoming administration from the task at hand," Barr said. "The American people have rendered their verdict on President Trump, and decisively chosen him to lead the country for the next four years," he added. "They did that with full knowledge of the claims against him by prosecutors around the country and I think Attorney General Garland and the state prosecutors should respect the people’s decision and dismiss the cases against President Trump now."
