Jack Smith defends handling of Trump probes at heated Senate hearing

Updated on: September 29, 2026 / 1:15 PM EDT / CBS News

See highlights from the hearing below.

Grassley delivered closing remarks about Smith's investigations into Mr. Trump and said his own probe showed the cases were infected with "defects, failures and political motives."

"His own words and that of his staff have told the tale of rampant wrongdoing and political conduct," he said.

Grassley said his investigation will continue.

When asked by GOP Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina if he wishes he did anything differently during his time as special counsel, Smith said that his limited public statements allowed others to misrepresent his investigations without a public rebuttal.

Smith said he began his career operating under the presumption that "you only do your talking in the courtroom, and that you don't talk on the courthouse steps." But, he added, "if you stick to that and that alone, people can unfairly malign your team, and unfairly malign you and your case in a way, and you really can't respond."

"You don't want to interfere with someone's right to a fair trial, and you don't want to get down in the gutter and start calling people names. But at the…

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