A Republican lawmaker appeared caught off guard during former special counsel Jack Smith’s first public testimony when his attempt to downplay Donald Trump’s threats instead prompted a blunt fact-check from the prosecutor. Questioned by Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA) about the gag order sought against Trump, Smith calmly detailed how courts found statements from the president posed real dangers to witnesses, court staff, and the judicial process itself. As Cline struggled to reframe the exchange, Smith stressed that prosecutors are not required to wait for violence before acting and made clear that both the district court and appeals court agreed Trump’s rhetoric crossed legal lines, underscoring the seriousness of conduct that repeatedly tested the limits of the First Amendment.
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