'Rule of law prevails': Social media users celebrate Jack Smith's targeting of Trump

Donald Trump revealed he's a target in special counsel Jack Smith's investigation of Jan. 6 – and social media erupted.

The former president, who was impeached for his role in the insurrection, expects to be indicted for a third time after a long-running investigation into his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss and remain in power. He also seems likely to be indicted in Fulton County, Georgia, as part of that same wide-ranging scheme.

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who is among the challengers for the 2024 Republican nomination, called on Trump to suspend his campaign immediately, while others celebrated the development as long overdue.

"What this means: 1. Trump given invitation to testify before the GJ (he won't) but must do so within 4 days; 2. no indictment before Friday; & 3. he will be indicted on 1/6 related charges," tweeted MSNBC legal analyst Andrew Weissmann, a former federal prosecutor on special counsel Robert Mueller's team.

"The perpetual victim: A despicable person who breaks the law and when is being held accountable for his actions, he portrays himself as 'I’m always the victim' of the crime he perpetrated," said U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, who was injured in the riot.

"Only took 2.5 years to make Trump the target of an investigation into something we all saw him do with our own eyes," tweeted blogger Justin Kanew.

"Donald says he got a target letter over his failed Jan 6 coup," said journalist David Cay Johnston. "If convicted under 18 U.S. Code § 2383 (rebellion or insurrection) he cannot hold any public office. Disqualification does NOT apply if he’s charged with 18 U.S. Code § 2384 - Seditious conspiracy.

"Trump will be the first to announce his own death. 'Wow. I was playing golf at the Beautiful Doral when I collapsed on the ninth. Very unfair!'" said screenwriter and TV producer Robert Schooley.

"Is special counsel Jack Smith running up the score by trying to indict Trump for every crime he ever committed?" joked blogger Doug J. Balloon.

"Trump says he expects to be indicted a third time for his participation in Jan. 6," said Matt Fuller, the Washington bureau chief for The Daily Beast. "Also, this reads like a bad Latin translation."

"I have been counting out days since Jan 6 with my daily tweets on the need to charge Trump," tweeted Sirius XM radio host Dean Obeidallah. "Looks like I may soon get to stop posting this!!"

"At long last, Donald Trump will be Indicted for leading a violent Insurrection to overthrow the United States Government," said actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner. "The Rule of Law prevails."

"Reminder: Trump received a target letter in the special counsel's investigation into his handling of classified documents about three weeks before an indictment in that case was returned," tweeted MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin.

"Jan. 6 — and very specifically Trump's version of that day — is not like the other cases for [Republicans]," said Benjy Sarlin, the Washington bureau chief for Semafor. "McConnell openly said criminal investigations obviated the need for impeachment, R electeds and voters still deeply divided, and R leaders think it was political death in '22. Almost every R will defend Trump on Manhattan DA. Far fewer on classified docs, but they can also ignore it when convenient. 1/6 is a food fight and anything that puts Trump's daily statements on it back into headlines is a problem."