Senate Judiciary Committee invites Jack Smith to testify on Trump investigation

Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley invited former special counsel Jack Smith to testify before the committee on 22 September 2026. The invitation was delivered on 4 August 2026. Smith’s lawyers confirmed in a letter to Grassley that their client would appear, pending approval from the Justice Department.

Smith led the federal investigations into President Donald Trump, including prosecutions related to election interference and classified documents. Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, scheduled the hearing after Republicans gained a majority in the Senate. The Justice Department has not publicly commented on whether it will permit Smith to testify.

What the reports disagree on

The digests diverge on the stated purpose of the hearing. The Washington Examiner reported that Grassley invited Smith to testify over his handling of "Operation Arctic Frost," a term not mentioned in other outlets. The Hill and Politico described the hearing as related to Smith’s investigation into Trump, without specifying a focus. No other outlet named a particular operation or case.

What the coverage left out

None of the digests below reported whether the Justice Department has approved Smith’s testimony. The left-rated digests did not name Grassley’s stated reason for the hearing. The centre-rated digests did not mention the Justice Department’s role in approving Smith’s appearance. The right-rated digests, except for the Washington Examiner, did not name Grassley’s stated reason or the Justice Department’s pending approval.