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No Evidence Special Counsel Jack Smith Released Trump Files, Despite Viral Claims
Recent viral claims suggesting former special counsel Jack Smith unexpectedly released all his investigative files on former President Donald Trump are false, according to fact-checking investigations.
The unsubstantiated rumor began circulating on Facebook on January 19, 2026, when several posts claimed Smith had “publicly dumped” all Trump-related files. One particularly viral post from a page called “STAR News” dramatically described the alleged event as “a shocking turn that detonated through D.C.” and claimed Smith had “unleashed every Trump-linked file in his arsenal,” causing panic among the former president and his allies.
The sensationalized posts typically included links to articles hosted on WordPress blogs, including one on a site called northwavenews.com, designed to capitalize on reader interest in the ongoing investigations into Trump.
Comprehensive searches across major search engines including Google, Bing, Yahoo, and DuckDuckGo revealed no credible news organizations reporting such a significant development. Given the political significance of Smith’s investigations into Trump’s alleged involvement in the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot and the mishandling of classified documents, such a massive document release would have generated immediate coverage from established media outlets.
Moreover, despite claims that Smith had “publicly uploaded” the files, no actual repository or website hosting these purported documents could be found online. The Department of Justice has not issued any statement confirming such a release.
The timing of these false claims appears calculated to exploit legitimate public interest in Smith’s recent interactions with Congress. In December 2025, Smith testified privately before the House Judiciary Committee about his investigations. According to reporting from NPR and the BBC, the House Oversight Committee subsequently released transcripts and videos of this closed-door testimony.
During that testimony, Smith reportedly characterized Trump as the “most culpable and most responsible person” for the events surrounding January 6, particularly regarding attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Smith is also scheduled to testify publicly before Congress on January 22, 2026.
The false claims about a document dump appear designed to generate clicks and advertising revenue by exploiting this heightened interest in Smith’s investigations. Such misinformation tactics often use sensationalized headlines and vague references to non-existent sources to create the appearance of breaking news.
This isn’t the first time Smith’s investigations have generated misleading claims online. As special counsel, Smith has been at the center of two significant investigations into the former president: one concerning efforts to overturn the 2020 election results and another regarding the handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
The spread of this particular false claim highlights the ongoing challenge of misinformation surrounding high-profile political investigations, particularly as the 2026 midterm elections approach. Social media users are advised to verify information through multiple credible sources before accepting dramatic claims about political figures or ongoing legal matters.
As of publication time, the Department of Justice had not responded to requests for comment on these false claims.
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8 Comments
I’ll hold off on forming an opinion until we see concrete proof from the special counsel’s office or major news organizations. Unconfirmed reports on obscure websites are not enough to conclude the files have been released.
Exactly. It’s crucial we maintain a critical eye and don’t get swept up in unsubstantiated hype, especially when it comes to high-profile legal matters.
This seems like the kind of misinformation that spreads quickly on social media. I’ll wait for the special counsel or authoritative news sources to provide a clear, verified account of any developments before drawing any conclusions.
This sounds like another sensational rumor designed to generate clicks and controversy. Without verifiable evidence from reliable outlets, I’m skeptical of these dramatic claims about the special counsel’s actions.
While the idea of the special counsel releasing all files is intriguing, these claims appear to be unsupported rumors. I’ll reserve judgment until we see official confirmation from reliable sources.
Good approach. It’s important to avoid getting drawn into speculative narratives and stick to the facts as they are reported by reputable media outlets.
Interesting development, if true. However, the lack of credible reporting on this major claim raises some doubts. I’ll wait for official confirmation before drawing any conclusions.
Agreed, these unsubstantiated rumors spreading on social media are concerning. We need to rely on reputable news sources for accurate information on such a high-profile investigation.