Former President Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on prosecutors leading criminal cases against him, following Defense Department Special Counsel Jack Smith's defense of his investigation into Trump's handling of classified materials. Trump's legal team argued that the case was politically motivated, citing a "sham" criminal referral made by National Archives officials to the Justice Department, which allegedly involved communication with Biden administration officials.

However, Smith's team rejected these claims, stating that the referral was in line with the government's interest in protecting national defense information. In a filing, Smith's team quoted Trump himself, highlighting his commitment to enforcing laws regarding the protection of classified information during his administration.

The prosecution revolves around allegations that Trump stored classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and failed to cooperate with government officials seeking to retain these documents. Trump, along with co-defendants Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, faces a total of 37 charges, including violations of the Espionage Act, obstruction of justice conspiracy, and lying to investigators.

Trump has consistently labeled the prosecution, as well as other criminal and civil cases in Georgia and New York, as political witch hunts aimed at undermining his chances in the 2024 presidential election. In addition to the classified documents case, Trump also faces charges of racketeering in Georgia for allegedly pressuring officials to overturn the 2020 election results. He has also been charged in New York for alleged campaign finance violations and by Smith in another federal case for his alleged role in the events leading up to the attack on the Capitol on January 6th.

The prosecution in Georgia has encountered obstacles due to allegations that the district attorney, Fani Willis, had a personal relationship with a prosecutor involved in the case. Willis has acknowledged the relationship but believes it should not disqualify her from the case or affect the prosecution.

As these various legal battles continue, the former president remains vocal in his criticism of the prosecutors, maintaining that the cases against him are politically motivated. The outcome of these cases is of great interest, as they have the potential to impact Trump's future political aspirations.