Former special counsel Jack Smith is giving his first news interview since criminally charging Donald Trump, set to air on MS NOW with Nicolle Wallace at 4 p.m. ET on July 2, 2026. The exclusive conversation marks a significant moment as Smith breaks his silence to the media after months of public testimony before Congress.
Smith has repeatedly warned of threats to the rule of law in the United States. In January 2026, testifying before a House committee, he told lawmakers that he fears Americans now take the idea of “rule of law” for granted. “The rule of law is not self-executing,” Smith said at the time. “It depends on our collective commitment to apply it. It requires dedicated service on behalf of others, especially when that service is difficult and comes with costs.”
The former prosecutor, who served as special counsel from November 2022 until his resignation in January 2025, led two criminal investigations into Trump. Both resulted in unprecedented indictments but were abandoned once it became clear Trump would return to the Oval Office, as Department of Justice policy prevents prosecution of a sitting president.
In recent months, Smith has grown more vocal about his concerns regarding the justice system under the Trump administration. At a private event in Washington in May 2026, Smith accused Justice Department leaders of corruption and political weaponization, according to reporting by The New York Times. “To erode the rule of law in our country, you need to attack these people, and that is what we have seen since January of 2025,” Smith said, referring to civil servants and career prosecutors.
Smith publicly testified before the House Judiciary Committee in January 2026, defending his investigations against Republican accusations of bias. He stated that his team had developed “proof beyond a reasonable doubt” of criminal conduct by Trump and rejected claims that politics motivated the cases. Trump has denied wrongdoing and has called Smith a “criminal” who should be investigated and “put in prison.”
The timing of Smith’s first news interview comes as debates over prosecutorial independence and the integrity of the justice system continue to dominate political discourse. Smith’s appearance on MS NOW is expected to address his investigations, the current state of the Justice Department, and his concerns about threats to democratic institutions.
Sources
- MS NOW — Announced exclusive first news interview with Jack Smith on July 2, 2026
- PBS NewsHour — Reported Smith’s January 22, 2026 House testimony warning that Americans take rule of law for granted
- The New York Times — Reported Smith’s May 2026 private remarks calling the Justice Department “corrupted”
- NBC News — Covered Smith’s public defense of his Trump investigations in congressional testimony
