Summary
NPR/AP coverage of Jack Smith’s December 17, 2025 closed-door deposition transcript released by the Republican House Judiciary Committee. Smith called Trump “the most culpable” person in the Jan. 6 conspiracy, said the riot “does not happen without him,” and defended his investigations as non-political. Built case largely on Republican witnesses. Mark Meadows interview revealed Jim Jordan was in contact with the White House during the riot.
Key Points
- Smith: Trump “caused,” “exploited,” and the attack “was foreseeable to him”
- Case built on Republican witnesses who “put their allegiance to the country before the party”
- Trump tweeted something that “without question endangered the life of his own vice president” while violence was ongoing
- Mark Meadows: said Jordan was in contact with White House that afternoon; “I’ve never seen Jim Jordan scared of anything” until that day
- Smith: analysis of Republican lawmakers’ phone records was lawful; outrage should be directed at Trump who directed co-conspirators to call those senators
- Cassidy Hutchinson’s steering wheel account: Secret Service officer said Trump “was very angry and wanted to go to the Capitol” but account differed from Hutchinson’s secondhand version
- Deposition was private despite Smith’s request to testify publicly
Newsletter Angles
- Jim Jordan’s name appears in the deposition via Meadows — the chairman of the committee releasing the transcript had contact with the White House during the riot he’s ostensibly investigating
- The private testimony choice: Republicans who claimed transparency wanted closed doors when Smith was actually there to testify
Entities Mentioned
- Jack Smith — former special counsel; made deposition
- Donald Trump — called most culpable in conspiracy
Concepts Mentioned
- Institutional Gaslighting — Republican framing of Smith’s work as political; Smith explicitly rejects it
Quotes
“The attack that happened at the Capitol, part of this case, does not happen without him.”
Notes
AP report on NPR; based on released transcript. The full transcript is a separate source in the cluster. This is the news report summarizing its contents.