Former special counsel Jack Smith told Congress in late January 2026 that he believed officials in President Donald Trump’s Justice Department would go to great lengths to bring charges against him, responding to repeated threats from Trump. Smith had previously brought two criminal cases against Trump involving classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. During a public House Judiciary Committee hearing, Smith also stated he would not be intimidated and defended his work. The comments came after Trump had called Smith a “deranged animal” and urged the attorney general to investigate him. In a subsequent MSNBC interview, host Nicolle Wallace pressed Smith on whether he expected to be indicted, but he declined to answer directly, instead emphasizing his confidence in his legal team and concern for their future service.