'Within two seconds': Trump vows to fire special counsel Jack Smith if elected president

DOJ special counsel Jack Smith, Image via screengrab.
David Badash
October 24, 2024Trump

Donald Trump says he will fire Special Counsel Jack Smith on his first day in office, if he is elected president. Election Day is less than two weeks away.

“Oh, it’s so easy. It’s so easy,” Trump told right wing podcaster Hugh Hewitt Thursday morning, as The Washington Post reports (video below). “I would fire him within two seconds.”

Trump bragged to Hewitt, “I got immunity at the Supreme Court.”

He also told Hewitt that Special Counsel Smith is a “crooked person.” Smith was the chief prosecutor for a special tribunal of the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

READ MORE: ‘How You Get to Fascist Governance’: Expert Rips GOPer’s Response to Trump Praising Hitler

Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, has been prosecuting Trump in two federal cases: one for alleged election subversion for his actions including those surrounding the January 6 insurrection, and a second for his allegedly unlawful removal, retention, and refusal to return classified documents, including some of the nation’s top military and. nuclear secrets. The latter case was thrown out by Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, but DOJ is appealing.

A president does not have the authority to fire a special counsel. That power lies with the Attorney General, although Trump, if elected, would likely only nominate one who would end all prosecutions against him.

Judge Cannon is reportedly on Trump’s short list to become Attorney General if he wins back the White House.

On Thursday Trump called Cannon a “brave, brilliant judge.”

In his election subversion case, Newsweek reported earlier this month the Special Counsel has 77 potential witnesses to testify against Trump.

Trump has referred to the violent and deadly January 6 insurrection as a “day of love.” He has called those who participated in storming the Capitol and were convicted and imprisoned, “hostages,” and has promised to pardon them. Trump has been criminally indicted on felony charges for his alleged role in the insurrection and surrounding election subversion.

RELATED: ‘Defending Nazis’: Fox Host Under Fire for ‘Excusing’ Trump Wanting ‘Hitler’s Generals’

In that indictment, prosecutors say, Trump “pursued unlawful means of discounting legitimate votes and subverting the election results,” and “perpetrated three criminal conspiracies,” according to Democracy Docket.

He is facing charges including: Conspiracy to defraud the United States; Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; Obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and, Conspiracy against the right to vote and have one’s vote counted.

Listen to a short clip of Trump’s remarks below or at this link.

— (@)