Special counsel Jack Smith’s office is examining a February 2020 Oval Office meeting where Trump praised improved election security in the United States, CNN reports. During that meeting, Trump suggested the FBI and DHS hold a press conference to take credit for their efforts. This contradicts his later public spread of voter-fraud conspiracy theories after he lost the election to President Joe Biden.
The investigation aims to understand Trump’s mindset about election security before his campaign to cast doubt on the 2020 election.
Testimony from the meeting indicates Trump knew the elections were secured. These details are relevant to the investigation, as they provide insight into Trump’s “knowledge and intent” surrounding election security.
Trump’s subsequent false claims on election security, including baseless attacks on voting by mail, raise questions about his defense that he believed the election was stolen.
Read the full report on CNN.
