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Gone quiet · last update Jan 14, 2025 / Donald Trump

The federal 2020 election case against Trump, from the investigation to its end

Overview · reviewed October 23, 2026

Special counsel Jack Smith charged Donald Trump in August 2023 with conspiring to overturn his 2020 election loss. The case was delayed by Trump's claim of presidential immunity and narrowed after the Supreme Court's ruling on it, and Smith dropped the charges after Trump won the 2024 election.[1][2][3]

Read the timeline

Follow this story to see new developments when you return.

Coverage over time

Share of tracked outlets · monthly average of weekly shares (UTC)

Jun 2022: average weekly share 6% (left 2%, center 3%, right 1%), from 2 of 2 weeksJul 2022: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2022: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2022: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2022: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2022: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2022: average weekly share 18% (left 7%, center 8%, right 4%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2023: average weekly share 1% (left under 1%, center under 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2023: average weekly share 13% (left 4%, center 6%, right 2%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2023: average weekly share 7% (left 3%, center 3%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2023: average weekly share 8% (left 3%, center 4%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2023: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJun 2023: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2023: average weekly share 18% (left 7%, center 7%, right 4%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2023: average weekly share 14% (left 6%, center 6%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2023: average weekly share 11% (left 3%, center 4%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2023: average weekly share 15% (left 5%, center 6%, right 4%), from 5 of 5 weeksNov 2023: average weekly share 4% (left 2%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2023: average weekly share 7% (left 3%, center 2%, right 2%), from 4 of 4 weeksJan 2024: average weekly share 5% (left 1%, center 2%, right 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksFeb 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksApr 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksMay 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJul 2024: average weekly share 2% (left 1%, center 1%, right under 1%), from 5 of 5 weeksAug 2024: average weekly share 9% (left 2%, center 4%, right 3%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2024: average weekly share 7% (left 2%, center 3%, right 2%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2024: average weekly share 2% (left under 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2024: average weekly share 13% (left 4%, center 5%, right 4%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2024: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2025: average weekly share 3% (left 1%, center 1%, right 1%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksSep 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksOct 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksDec 2025: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJan 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksFeb 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMar 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksApr 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksMay 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksJun 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksJul 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksAug 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 5 of 5 weeksSep 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksOct 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 4 of 4 weeksNov 2026: average weekly share 0% (left 0%, center 0%, right 0%), from 2 of 2 weeks, so far

LeftCenterRight

Each bar is the share of the outlets on our Left / Center / Right rating scale that we tracked publishing that week which carried reporting on this story, split by the outlets' ratings. Over more than two years each bar is a month: the average of that month's weekly shares, so the shape stays readable. The weekly table below keeps every week. We track more outlets now than in the archive, so a share keeps earlier and later weeks comparable. An outlet counts once a week however much it published, and outlets in one ownership or syndication group count as one on each side they appear on. A rating describes the outlet, not the report. A gap means no such reports were collected that week, not that nothing was reported anywhere. Weeks run Monday to Sunday in UTC, so a report published on a Sunday evening in US Eastern time counts in the next week. 11 more outlets off the scale (not rated, or outside the left-right graphs) also reported; they are not in this chart. See them.

Weekly counts, outlets and reports (56 weeks with coverage)
Outlets on the rating scale that carried this story each week, of the outlets tracked that week, newest first
Week of (UTC)LeftCenterRightOf trackedShareReceipts
Jan 13, 20251112730 of 22813%
Nov 25, 202418201755 of 17831%
Nov 4, 202413181243 of 22319%
Oct 21, 20241157 of 1994%
Oct 14, 20241517 of 1954%
Sep 30, 2024912930 of 22214%
Sep 23, 202439618 of 2148%
Sep 2, 20241212529 of 21214%
Aug 26, 202418301866 of 20432%
Aug 5, 20241449 of 2024%
Jul 29, 2024711321 of 2289%
Jan 22, 202457214 of 2386%
Jan 15, 20241258 of 2234%
Jan 8, 202436312 of 2435%
Jan 1, 202478621 of 2329%
Dec 25, 20231258 of 2074%
Dec 18, 20233115 of 2362%
Dec 11, 202354413 of 2256%
Dec 4, 20231411631 of 21714%
Nov 20, 20231512532 of 20116%
Oct 30, 202314181042 of 23318%
Oct 23, 202314151039 of 23816%
Oct 16, 202328292279 of 24832%
Oct 9, 202365617 of 2377%
Sep 25, 202310141236 of 22716%
Sep 11, 202314161343 of 24218%
Sep 4, 2023912425 of 25310%
Aug 28, 202323261463 of 26524%
Aug 14, 20231011728 of 24611%
Aug 7, 202326201157 of 25922%
Jul 31, 2023565941156 of 25461%
Jul 24, 20231315 of 2622%
Jul 17, 202331351177 of 26729%
Jun 19, 20231304 of 2632%
Jun 5, 202357012 of 2655%
Apr 24, 20231728954 of 25521%
Apr 10, 202378419 of 2547%
Apr 3, 20232428 of 2603%
Mar 27, 202323281162 of 27822%
Mar 20, 202364313 of 2336%
Feb 20, 20231405 of 1843%
Feb 13, 20231015732 of 18118%
Feb 6, 202316281155 of 18530%
Jan 9, 20232428 of 1984%
Dec 19, 202223231157 of 18431%
Dec 12, 20221213732 of 18717%
Dec 5, 20221921949 of 19026%
Nov 14, 202215612 of 1866%
Oct 31, 20221416 of 1813%
Sep 12, 2022310518 of 18810%
Sep 5, 20221708 of 1924%
Aug 22, 20220617 of 2004%
Aug 1, 202278722 of 20111%
Jul 25, 202226210 of 1845%
Jul 18, 20221001 of 1911%
Jun 20, 20221011425 of 20412%

Latest coverage

The newest reporting in this story's record.

  1. Jan 13, 2025 · first reported · Headline from ABC 7 New York

    Jack Smith, in final report, says voters saved Trump from being convicted

Background

By July 2022 the Justice Department was investigating Trump's own conduct in its inquiry into efforts to overturn the 2020 election,[4] and that December the House January 6 committee urged that he be prosecuted.[5] Smith, named special counsel that November, subpoenaed election officials in states Trump had disputed.[6] Former Vice President Mike Pence fought a ,[7] but after courts rejected Trump's effort to block his testimony, Pence testified to the in April 2023.[8][9]

Read the full background (2 more paragraphs)

In July Trump was notified that he was a target of the investigation,[10] and on August 1 he was on charges of conspiring to overturn the election results.[1] He pleaded not guilty in Washington,[11] and Judge Tanya Chutkan set a trial for March 4, 2024.[12] She refused to recuse herself[13] and imposed a narrow gag order on Trump, which an appeals court upheld in a narrower form.[14][15] Prosecutors also sought protections for potential jurors, citing Trump's online attacks.[16]

After the Supreme Court ruled in July 2024 that former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution for official acts, Smith brought a new, narrower indictment that August.[2] Following Trump's election victory in November, the judge canceled the case's deadlines,[17] and Smith dropped the federal cases against him.[3] In January 2025 the Justice Department released Smith's final report on the election case.[18]

Supporting stories (18)
  1. Trump indicted on efforts to overturn 2020 presidential election results
  2. Trump election case sees new indictment
  3. Prosecutor drops federal cases against Trump
  4. DOJ reportedly investigating Trump’s conduct, conversations as part of 2020 election probe
  5. Jan. 6 panel urges Trump prosecution with criminal referral
  6. DOJ subpoenas election officials in states Trump disputed
  7. Pence Says He Will 'Fight' Jan. 6 Subpoena as Far as Supreme Court
  8. Appeals Court Rejects Trump Effort to Block Pence Testimony on 2020 Election
  9. Pence testifies before election probe grand jury, AP source says
  10. Trump is notified he's a target of the US criminal probe into efforts to overturn the 2020 election
  11. Trump pleads not guilty to charges he conspired to overturn the 2020 election
  12. Trump trial set for March 4, 2024, in federal case charging him with plotting to overturn election
  13. Judge Chutkan denies Trump’s request to recuse herself in federal election subversion case
  14. Trump has narrow gag order imposed on him by federal judge overseeing 2020 election subversion case
  15. Appeals court upholds gag order on Trump in Washington case but narrows restrictions on his speech
  16. Citing Trump's online attacks, US prosecutors seek protections for potential jurors in election case
  17. Judge cancels court deadlines in Trump's 2020 election case after his presidential win
  18. Special Counsel's final report on Trump's presidential election interference case released

The full record

Each date is when an update was first reported.

All 100 recorded updates

January 2025

  1. Special Counsel's final report on Trump's presidential election interference case releasedHeadline from Fox32 Chicago · 31 outlets

November 2024

  1. Prosecutor drops federal cases against TrumpHeadline from The Week · 58 outlets
  2. Judge cancels court deadlines in Trump's 2020 election case after his presidential winHeadline from Triblive · 22 outlets
  3. Special counsel Jack Smith seeks pause in Trump's election interference criminal trialHeadline from NBC News · 13 outlets
  4. DOJ moving to wind down Trump criminal cases before he takes officeHeadline from NBC10 Philadelphia · 5 outlets
  5. Special counsel evaluating how to wind down two federal cases against Trump after presidential winHeadline from MyNorthwest · 21 outlets

October 2024

  1. Trump's lawyers seek dismissal of federal election case, call special counsel illegally appointedHeadline from MyNorthwest · 7 outlets
  2. Judge unseals heavily redacted trove of evidence in Trump’s 2020 election interference caseHeadline from The Columbian · 8 outlets

September 2024

  1. Trump claims new Jack Smith filing is election interference. Here's how it became public.Headline from NBC News · 31 outlets
  2. Prosecutors file sealed brief detailing allegations against Trump in election interference caseHeadline from The Columbian · 15 outlets
  3. Jack Smith's evidence update as judge sets deadline for TrumpHeadline from Newsweek · 5 outlets
  4. Courtroom clash in Trump’s election interference case at a hearing that could set the path aheadHeadline from The Columbian · 15 outlets
  5. Trump election subversion case back in court as judge holds hearing that could set its path forwardHeadline from The Republic · 11 outlets
  6. Trump to plead not guilty to revised federal election interference indictmentHeadline from NBC News · 5 outlets

August 2024

  1. Trump election case sees new indictmentHeadline from Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · 67 outlets
  2. Special counsel Jack Smith asks judge to delay next steps in Trump election interference caseHeadline from NBC4 Washington · 9 outlets
  3. Judge Chutkan could jumpstart Trump election interference case now that it’s back in her courtHeadline from KTVZ Bend · 6 outlets
  4. Judge in Trump's federal election subversion case rejects defense effort to dismiss the prosecutionHeadline from NBC 6 South Florida · 20 outlets

January 2024

  1. Appeals court rejects Trump’s bid to reconsider gag order in the election interference caseHeadline from WTOP Washington DC · 15 outlets
  2. Judge rejects Trump bid to hold special counsel Jack Smith in contempt in election caseHeadline from NBC 6 South Florida · 8 outlets
  3. Judge in Trump’s DC election case is targeted by fake emergency call in latest high-profile swattingHeadline from WTOP Washington DC · 13 outlets
  4. Trump Wants Special Counsel Jack Smith Held in Contempt of Court in Jan. 6 CaseHeadline from Bloomberg · 21 outlets

December 2023

  1. Special counsel Jack Smith asks judge to not let Trump ‘inject politics’ into Jan. 6 caseHeadline from New York Post · 8 outlets
  2. Trump's lawyers ask full appeals court to review gag order restricting his speech in election caseHeadline from Bangor Daily News · 18 outlets
  3. Appeals court upholds gag order on Trump in Washington case but narrows restrictions on his speechHeadline from Minneapolis Star Tribune · 33 outlets

Coverage & sources

Read the reports, see how much was collected over time, or compare outlets by political leaning.

Coverage & sources →