President-elect Donald Trump engaged in an unprecedented criminal effort to overturn his 2020 election defeat, according to a report by Special Counsel Jack Smith.
He said that Trump “inspired his supporters to commit acts of physical violence” in the January 6 riots and knowingly spread a false narrative about fraud in the 2020 election.
Special prosecutor Mr Smith also found charges could be justified against Trump’s co-conspirators but reached no final conclusions, according to his report, which was released by the Department of Justice on Tuesday.
Mr Smith resigned in the wake of Trump’s election victory in November.
“Indeed, but for Mr Trump’s election and imminent return to the Presidency, the Office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial,” Mr Smith’s report said.
President-elect Trump has consistently criticised Mr Smith and allies have suggested the special counsel should now face criminal charges for pursuing the case against him.
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