Earlier this year, Special Counsel Jack Smith held a meeting with legal representatives of former President Donald Trump, during which, as reported, he maintained an unwavering silence while they passionately implored him not to indict their client. This intriguing episode is detailed in ABC News reporter Jonathan Karl’s new book on Trump’s post-presidential life, as per Politico.
Karl’s account suggests that Trump’s attorneys, Todd Blanche and John Lauro, engaged with Smith’s team during the summer, presenting a compelling list of reasons aimed at dissuading the special counsel from pursuing criminal charges against Trump for activities related to his attempts to illegitimately retain power. Remarkably, Smith allegedly sat through the entire presentation without uttering a single word.
“As Lauro spoke, the prosecutors took notes, but they said nothing,” Karl reports. “Smith waited until Lauro was done speaking and then, without commenting on what he just heard, he bid the Trump lawyers farewell. According to sources with direct knowledge of the meeting, Smith did not ask a single question. And aside from the pleasantries at the start of the meeting (including the offer of a glass of water) and the goodbye at the end, neither Smith nor the two prosecutors said anything at all.”
Curiously, a mere four hours after this silent encounter, Smith and his team proceeded to levy criminal charges against Trump. These charges encompassed actions hindering the U.S. government’s retrieval of classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago resort and efforts to overturn the 2020 election, with the latter charges surfacing less than a week later.
In the aftermath of these legal developments, Trump, known for his expressive use of social media, has consistently criticized Smith on his Truth Social platform, frequently characterizing the special prosecutor as “deranged.” The unfolding narrative adds layers of intrigue to the complex relationship between Trump and the special counsel, raising questions about the motivations behind the legal actions and the subsequent public discourse surrounding them.
