After a tumultuous tenure clouded by two failed criminal prosecutions against the incoming president, Attorney General Merrick Garland is leaving the Justice Department the same way he came in: trying to defend it against political attacks.
A former war crimes prosecutor, Smith was appointed in November 2022 – nearly two years after the US Capitol attack.
Smith led the federal cases against Donald Trump on charges of trying to overturn his 2020 election defeat and mishandling of classified documents. Trump suggested he might seek retribution.
Donald Trump’s pick for attorney general, Pam Bondi, insisted at her Senate confirmation hearing that Trump was unfairly targeted by years of investigations.
Pam Bondi was pressed about the 2020 election and Trump's influence over the Justice Department, while Marco Rubio struck a more measured tone on the Russia-Ukraine war.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said "norms" determine the principles upon which the Justice Department operates while bidding farewell to staffers after leading it over the past four years.
President Biden unfairly attacked the integrity of the justice system by criticizing the long-running federal investigations into his son Hunter Biden, to whom he granted a federal pardon, according to the outgoing special counsel who led the cases.
Live updates ahead of Donald Trump’s inauguration. Follow the latest news as the incoming president attends events ahead of tomorrow’s ceremony.
President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration comes at a pivotal time in American history. Insulated from controversy, Trump will enter the White House more prepared than when he first won in 2016.