Month: January 2026

Former special counsel Jack Smith appeared publicly before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday for the first time, forcefully defending his investigations into Donald Trump and warning that the rule of law in the United States must not be taken for granted.

Smith oversaw two federal probes that led to more than 40 criminal charges against Trump — one focused on efforts to overturn the 2020 election and another centered on the alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving office. Both cases were dropped after Trump’s reelection in 2024, citing Justice Department policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, calling the investigations politically motivated “witch hunts.”

During his testimony, Smith rejected claims that politics influenced his decisions and said the evidence justified bringing charges. He told lawmakers his team uncovered “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” that Trump engaged in a “criminal scheme” to overturn the election and knowingly violated federal law.

Smith testified: “Our investigation revealed that Donald Trump is the person who caused Jan. 6, that it was foreseeable to him and that he sought to exploit the violence. We followed the facts and we followed the law — where that led us was to an indictment of an unprecedented criminal scheme to block the peaceful transfer of power.”

Smith said Trump was not seeking honest answers about election fraud, but instead was “looking for ways to stay in power,” adding that when officials contradicted his claims, Trump ignored or dismissed them. He also detailed findings from the classified documents case, saying Trump illegally retained highly sensitive national security materials at his Mar-a-Lago property and attempted to obstruct justice by concealing them. Smith emphasized that the charges stemmed solely from the evidence and legal standards, not political pressure.

Throughout the hearing, Smith warned about growing threats to judicial independence and said he would not be intimidated by public attacks from the president. “The statements are meant to intimidate me. I will not be intimidated,” he said, adding that such rhetoric is also intended to deter others from standing up for the law.

During the hearing Trump continued criticizing Smith, posting on Truth Social and calling him “a deranged animal,” while urging Attorney General Pam Bondi to investigate his conduct. Smith said he expects further attempts to target him, stating, “I believe they will do everything in their power to do that because they’ve been ordered to by the president.”

Smith also condemned Trump’s sweeping pardons of roughly 1,500 people convicted in connection with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, calling the decision deeply troubling. “I do not understand why you would mass pardon people who assaulted police officers. I don’t get it. I never will,” he said. He reminded lawmakers that 140 officers were injured during the attack and warned that some pardoned rioters pose an ongoing danger.

The hearing exposed sharp partisan divisions. Committee Chairman Jim Jordan criticized Smith’s work as politically driven, arguing voters rejected the investigations by reelecting Trump. In contrast, ranking Democrat Jamie Raskin praised Smith’s conduct, telling him, “You pursued the facts, you followed the law, you stuck with extreme caution, to every rule of professional responsibility. You had the audacity to do your job.”

Smith also defended investigative steps that drew GOP scrutiny, including subpoenaing phone records and relying on testimony from Republican officials and Trump allies. He said those witnesses were often the most credible because they were willing to tell uncomfortable truths despite personal and political costs.

Reflecting on the broader stakes, Smith urged Americans not to become complacent. “The rule of law is not self-executing,” he said. “It depends on our collective commitment to apply it.”

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Thursday that representatives from Ukraine, Russia and the United States will hold their first-ever trilateral talks in the United Arab Emirates this week, marking a potentially significant step in efforts to end the nearly four-year war.

Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, Zelenskyy said the meetings are scheduled for Friday and Saturday, and will take place at a technical level, typically involving lower-ranking officials. Neither the White House nor Moscow has formally confirmed the talks, though U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are expected to meet Russian officials in Moscow before traveling to Abu Dhabi for follow-up discussions.

Zelenskyy said: “I think it will be the first trilateral meeting in Emirates. It will be two days’ meetings in Emirates. I hope that Emirates know about it.”  Zelenskyy emphasized that any lasting agreement must include strong security guarantees for Ukraine backed by U.S. support, even as Britain and France signal readiness to deploy forces on the ground. “The U.K. and France are ready to actually commit their forces,” he said, “but the backstop of President Trump is needed. And again, no security guarantees work without the U.S.”

The Ukrainian leader met for more than an hour with President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the forum, calling the conversation positive but acknowledging the difficulty of final negotiations. “This is the last mile, which is difficult,” Zelenskyy said, adding that Russia “has to be ready for compromises” as well.  Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy, said progress has been made, though one unresolved issue remains. “I think we’ve got it down to one issue,” he said. “If both sides want to solve this, we’re going to get it solved.”

Zelenskyy also warned that Europe remains heavily dependent on U.S. military support and urged the continent to strengthen its own defense capabilities. He suggested that Ukraine could help counter Russian naval activity in strategic areas if integrated into NATO, underscoring Kyiv’s continued push for deeper Western security ties. While the talks offer cautious optimism, Zelenskyy noted that fighting continues. “It’s better than not having any dialogue,” he said, “but Ukraine is still under attack, and we are responding.”

The diplomatic developments unfolded as President Trump unveiled a new “Board of Peace” initiative in Davos, tied to broader global ambitions, including conflict resolution in the Middle East.

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The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee plans to depose Ghislaine Maxwell on Feb. 9 as part of its ongoing investigation into the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. According to a source familiar with the planning, the deposition will be conducted virtually. Maxwell was convicted in 2022 of helping Epstein traffic teenage girls, but has denied abusing anyone and has claimed she was unfairly blamed after Epstein died in custody in 2019. Maxwell is currently incarcerated at a minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas, where she was transferred last year.

Chairman James Comer announced the scheduled deposition on Wednesday, during a committee session considering contempt resolutions against former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton – both of whom declined to appear for depositions related to the Epstein inquiry. The contempt votes stem from the Clintons’ refusal to comply with subpoenas, which their attorneys have called “legally invalid.” Clinton spokesman Angel Ureña said the Clintons have cooperated with investigators and denied any recent ties to Epstein. In a statement posted Wednesday, Ureña wrote that the Clintons had nothing to do with Epstein “for more than 20 years,” adding, “The Committee is voting whether to charge the Clintons with a crime that could end in their imprisonment. But we have cooperated. They just won’t tell you we have because then they can’t charge them.”

Comer emphasized the importance of hearing directly from Maxwell, Epstein’s longtime associate, who is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for sex trafficking.  He said: “We need to hear from Ghislaine Maxwell. We’ve been trying to get her in for a deposition, and her lawyers have been saying that she’s going to plead the fifth, but we have nailed down a date, Feb. 9, where Maxwell will be deposed by this committee.”

Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, has warned that his client will refuse to answer questions. In a letter to Comer, Markus wrote that if the deposition proceeds, “Ms. Maxwell will invoke her privilege against self-incrimination and decline to answer questions.” He stressed that her legal challenges remain unresolved, adding, “That is not a negotiating position or a tactical choice; it is a legal necessity.” Markus argued that moving forward would amount to “pure political theater” and “a complete waste” of taxpayer funds, saying, “The only certainty is a public spectacle in which a witness repeatedly invokes the Fifth Amendment.” He also noted that Maxwell would consider testifying publicly if granted clemency, a possibility President Donald Trump has not ruled out.

The committee first subpoenaed Maxwell last summer, but a planned August deposition was postponed. Comer previously said her testimony is “vital to the Committee’s efforts regarding Mr. Jeffrey Epstein, including the 2007 non-prosecution agreement and the circumstances surrounding Mr. Epstein’s death.” After the delay, the panel opted to wait for the Supreme Court’s decision on whether to review Maxwell’s conviction. The court declined to take up her appeal in October.

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European lawmakers have indefinitely suspended work on a long-negotiated trade agreement with the United States, deepening tensions after President Donald Trump threatened new tariffs tied to his push for U.S. control of Greenland.

The decision was made Wednesday by senior members of the European Parliament handling the agreement, halting the legal ratification process just days before a scheduled committee vote. The move effectively freezes the EU-U.S. trade deal reached last summer, often referred to as the Turnberry agreement, until further notice.

European Parliament trade committee chair Bernd Lange confirmed the decision publicly, writing: “Now official: EU-US deal is on hold until further notice! Our negotiating team just decided to suspend work of @ep_trade on the legal implementation of Turnberry deal. Our sovereignty and territorial integrity are at stake. Business as usual impossible #Greenland #tariffs”

Lange later told reporters the process would remain paused “until there is clarity on Greenland,” adding that Trump “did not seem to have revised his position” following his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos. In a separate statement, Lange said, “Given the continued and escalating threats, including tariff threats, against Greenland and Denmark, and their European allies, we have been left with no alternative but to suspend work” on the deal. He added that progress would not resume “until the US decides to re-engage on a path of cooperation rather than confrontation.”

The suspension followed renewed tariff warnings from Trump, who said the U.S. would impose a 10% levy starting Feb. 1 on imports from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland and the United Kingdom. The rate would rise to 25% by June unless “a deal is reached for the complete and total purchase of Greenland”. Trump, speaking in Davos, ruled out military action but stood by his economic pressure campaign. “We probably won’t get anything unless I decide to use excessive strength and force where we would be, frankly, unstoppable. But I won’t do that,” he said.

EU lawmakers view the tariff threats as a violation of the political understanding reached in July, when both sides agreed to cap most U.S. tariffs on EU goods at 15% while the bloc committed to cutting tariffs on U.S. industrial imports to zero. Some categories, including generic pharmaceuticals, were set to become tariff-free. At the time, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the deal “creates certainty in uncertain times … In politics as in business, a deal is a deal. When friends shake hands, it must mean something.”

The dispute comes as EU leaders prepare for an emergency meeting Thursday to coordinate a response. Options under discussion include retaliatory tariffs and possible activation of the bloc’s Anti-Coercion Instrument—often dubbed the EU’s trade “bazooka”—which would allow sweeping restrictions on U.S. goods, services and investments. France and Germany have publicly raised support for using the mechanism, which has never been deployed.

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