US President-elect Donald Trump on Tuesday (Jan 14) called Jack Smith's report on his 'unprecedented efforts' to overturn the 2020 election result as "fake", saying that the "unselected committee illegally destroyed and deleted all the evidence". 

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Smith, in his final report, said he believed there was enough evidence to convict Trump in a trial if his 2024 election win had not made it impossible for the prosecution to continue. 

The report, published early Tuesday, includes 250 voluntary interviews and testimony from more than 55 witnesses before the grand jury. 

Also read: US DoJ releases Jack Smith's Jan 6 report detailing Trump's 'criminal' efforts to overturn 2020 election results

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Smith alleged that the president-elect engaged in an "unprecedented criminal effort to overturn the legitimate results" of the 2020 elections so as "to retain power," but noted that his 2024 election win makes it impossible to prosecute him.

'Deranged Jack Smith'

After the report was released, Trump took to Truth Social and said, "To show you how desperate Deranged Jack Smith is, he released his Fake findings at 1:00 A.M. in the morning. Did he say that the Unselect Committee illegally destroyed and deleted all of the evidence?"

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Earlier in November, the cases against Trump, including the classified documents case, were discontinued after his victory in the elections due to the Justice Department's policy against prosecuting sitting presidents. 

Also read: US right-wing livid after ‘pro-Hezbollah’ Muslim cleric invited to Trump inauguration

According to the report, Smith believed that Trump would have been found guilty of multiple felonies for his attempts to unlawfully alter the 2020 election outcome had voters not elected him president in 2024. 

"The Department's view that the Constitution prohibits the continued indictment and prosecution of a President is categorical and does not turn on the gravity of the crimes charged, the strength of the Government's proof, or the merits of the prosecution, which the Office stands fully behind," the report read.

"Indeed, but for Trump's election and imminent return to the Presidency, the Office assessed that the admissible evidence was sufficient to obtain and sustain a conviction at trial."

Also read: Joe Biden in farewell foreign policy speech slams Trump, defends Afghanistan withdrawal

The 137-page volume is one of two in Smith’s final report but is the only one that was expected to be released. The second volume covers the investigation into Trump allegedly withholding classified White House documents. Garland has said he does not want the volume of the documents' case to be released publicly while Trump’s co-defendants in the case are still being prosecuted.

While Smith has concluded his cases against Trump, charges against his co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira in the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case remain unresolved.

(With inputs from agencies)