Special counsel Jack Smith’s inquiry into former president Donald Trump covers actions from 2017 to 2021, including the January 2021 Capitol attack and the alleged mishandling of classified White House documents. The current cost of the investigation is about $9 million.
The Justice Department’s latest briefing, issued this Friday, shows that since Smith took office in November 2022 through March 31, his office spent around 5.4 million dollars on staff, travel, and operating supplies, with a further 3.8 million invested across other Justice Department components. The 3.8 million figure includes security expenses tied to the special prosecutor. Before his appointment, Smith served as a prosecutor in The Hague, dealing with war crimes in Kosovo. A major component of the current expenditures is the 2.6 million allotted for salaries for personnel working on the case.
Trump was indicted in a Miami court in June on charges including the illegal keeping of state secrets, obstruction of justice, and conspiracy, among others. This marks the first time a former U.S. president faces federal charges, a development that arises in the midst of the 2024 presidential campaign.
According to the indictment, when he left the presidency in 2021, Trump allegedly seized hundreds of confidential documents. It is reported that secret materials connected to nuclear information were allegedly hidden in various places at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, including the residence, ballroom, and other locations on the property.
While the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the November 2020 election was confirmed, the investigation into Trump’s role in the Capitol assault on January 6, 2021 continues. Trump has described himself repeatedly as the victim of a witch hunt, while prosecutors emphasize that no one is above the law.
The former president also faces a separate Manhattan case, where prosecutors have charged him over alleged irregular payments to silence a porn actress during the 2016 campaign. This is a state-level case, not federal.
Special prosecutor Robert Hur, who is examining classified documents found at the current president Biden’s home in Delaware, noted in a DOJ update that 615,962 dollars were spent between January 12 and March 31.