A Former Prosecutor Makes a Very Public Wardrobe Choice
Jack Smith, the former special counsel who pursued two federal cases against Donald Trump, appeared Saturday night at the inaugural “Power to the People” festival in Columbia, Maryland. Smith was spotted in the crowd at Merriweather Post Pavilion wearing a Bruce Springsteen “No Kings” shirt. The slogan has become closely tied to the anti-Trump protest movement, so this was not exactly camouflage. Smith is now a private citizen and had every right to attend the concert, buy the shirt and display his politics. Still, the image landed with force because of the role he once held and the cases he brought.
The Festival Made Its Political Message Plain
The event was organized by Rage Against the Machine guitarist Tom Morello and featured Springsteen, Foo Fighters, John Legend, Dave Matthews, the Chicks, Public Enemy and other performers. Organizers described the festival as a gathering focused on peace, justice, solidarity, music and community action. A portion of ticket proceeds went to VoteRiders and HeadCount. The political message was not hidden between the guitar solos. Springsteen opened with “Streets of Minneapolis,” a protest song aimed at federal immigration enforcement, while Grandson performed “My President’s a Felon.” Attendees were urged to turn their enthusiasm into votes before the midterm elections, making the evening part concert and part voter-mobilization operation.
The Shirt Reopened Questions About the Trump Cases
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith in November 2022 to oversee investigations involving Trump. The Justice Department said the arrangement was meant to protect the work’s independence and described Smith as an even-handed choice. Smith later brought one case involving classified documents and another involving the 2020 election. Both were abandoned after Trump won the election and returned to the White House. Americans were repeatedly asked to trust the separation between prosecution and politics, even as the cases reached directly into a presidential campaign. Smith’s appearance at an openly anti-Trump event does not prove that the prosecutions were political, but it does make the old assurances harder to sell. Institutional trust is a fragile product, and public relations has never been great at repairing it.
Trump Responded by Reviving His Old Charge
Trump shared coverage of Smith’s appearance Sunday morning and called him a “Deranged Jack Smith” and a “Crooked Prosecutor!” His response returned the dispute to the argument that followed Smith throughout his tenure: whether the cases were a neutral application of the law or part of a political campaign against Trump. The festival gave that argument a fresh visual symbol, complete with a famous rock star’s merchandise line. Smith’s shirt was legal, public and easy to photograph. In politics, that combination can keep a controversy alive long after the music stops.
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