Prosecutors Move to Dismiss Trump Charges

US prosecutors have formally requested that a judge dismiss the criminal case against President-elect Donald Trump, citing a longstanding Justice Department policy that protects sitting presidents from criminal prosecution.

This development signifies a departure from Special Counsel Jack Smith's earlier approach, which included indicting Trump in two high-profile cases involving election integrity and national security. In August 2023, Trump pleaded not guilty to four federal charges related to conspiring to obstruct the certification of votes following his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden.

As President, Trump will oversee the Justice Department, raising expectations that the federal 2020 election case and another case accusing him of retaining classified documents could be terminated. The Justice Department policy, established in the 1970s, argues that prosecuting a sitting president could impede their executive duties and violate constitutional principles.

The decision now rests with US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who must approve the dismissal request. Previously, Trump’s legal team invoked a US Supreme Court ruling that grants former presidents broad immunity from prosecution for official actions taken during their tenure.