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DOJ moving to wind down Trump criminal cases before he takes office

www.nbcnews.com DOJ moving to wind down Trump criminal cases before he takes office

The step complies with long-standing Justice Department policy that a sitting president cannot be prosecuted, two people familiar with the matter told NBC News.

DOJ moving to wind down Trump criminal cases before he takes office

Summary

With Donald Trump’s re-election, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is preparing to suspend federal criminal cases against him, as longstanding policy bars prosecuting a sitting president.

Special counsel Jack Smith, who previously pressed forward on charges related to January 6 and classified documents, must now consider unwinding these cases.

The DOJ’s stance follows a 2000 memo suggesting impeachment, not prosecution, as the proper recourse for a sitting president.

Trump’s legal team is also strategizing to dismiss or delay other cases, viewing his victory as a mandate to end “weaponization” of the justice system.

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