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Senate Republicans Clash With Former Special Counsel Jack Smith in Heated Hearing
Former special counsel Jack Smith faced intense questioning from Senate Republicans as lawmakers turned their attention to his investigations of President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Republicans accused Smith of abusing his authority and using his position to politically target Trump. Some Republicans, along with the president, have argued that Smith himself should face prosecution.
During the hearing, one Republican senator called Smith a "total dirtbag" and said Smith made him want to "throw up in my mouth."
Smith pushed back against the criticism, saying he would not be intimidated by continued threats of prosecution.
Smith also defended the investigations that resulted in two federal indictments against Trump in 2023. One case involved Trump's retention of classified documents, while another involved allegations related to efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
Smith said his investigation developed evidence that he believed established serious criminal conduct beyond a reasonable doubt.
Republicans sought to use the hearing to argue that Smith's investigation was politically motivated.
One particularly heated exchange involved Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmidt and Smith's whereabouts on February 3, 2024.
Schmidt questioned Smith about whether he had attended an NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and Atlanta Hawks in Atlanta on that date. Smith denied attending the game.
Schmidt pressed Smith, suggesting that he had evidence Smith had been in Atlanta and appeared to be attempting to connect him with a Democratic prosecutor who had pursued charges against Trump.
Smith maintained that he remembered attending a University of Maryland basketball game involving Iowa instead.
The exchange then took an unexpected turn as the teams involved became part of the dispute.
Smith pointed out that Iowa's teams are the Hawkeyes and questioned the accuracy of the accusation, arguing that lawmakers should have their facts straight before making serious accusations against someone.
The contentious hearing comes as both parties prepare for the 2026 midterm elections, with Trump's legal battles and the actions of prosecutors who investigated him remaining politically divisive issues.
Smith continues to defend the work of his investigation, while Trump and congressional Republicans critical of the former special counsel continue to question his motives and conduct.
By: NBC Palm Springs
September 30, 2026
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