US Attorney General Merrick Garland said on Nov 25 that his office would abandon its charges against former President Donald Trump, accused of trying to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Trump had been charged with obstruction of justice and conspiracy. The move comes after a court filing by special counsel Jack Smith, which sought to dismiss the charges without prejudice, citing the Justice Department's long-standing policy of not prosecuting sitting presidents.
Smith also requested that the court reject an appeal of a previous ruling that dismissed a case against Trump over allegedly mishandling classified documents. However, other defendants in the case will continue to face appeals.
Trump vowed to press on, saying he 'pushed through all the difficulties and finally won' and that the cases against him 'should not have been brought'. Trump is also facing other investigations and court cases over his handling of sensitive documents and attempts to influence the 2020 election.