Special Counsel Jack Smith is set to deliver a statement on Friday afternoon after a federal indictment of former President Donald Trump was unsealed.
The former president was indicted on Thursday, when the department levied federal charges against Trump over accusations he mishandled classified documents after leaving the White House and thwarted efforts from the government to reclaim them. Several Republican lawmakers, including some of Trump's own presidential primary foes, have stated that the Biden administration was weaponizing the Justice Department to stop Trump from running against President Joe Biden in the 2024 election.
On Friday, the White House referred all questions regarding the indictment of Trump to the Justice Department, defending the "integrity" of the department amid criticism from the former president's supporters.