Ellie Honig says Trump seeks another legal thrill as DOJ cases falter

Ellie Honig, a former federal prosecutor and legal analyst, contends that President Donald Trump is looking for a new “fix” by encouraging legal action against perceived opponents. House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan recently sent a referral to the Justice Department urging an indictment of former special counsel Jack Smith, a move Honig dismisses as a sleight-of-hand tactic. Republicans claim Smith committed perjury during a congressional hearing about his subpoenas, which actually sought toll-record logs of Trump’s calls, not text messages.

Honig argues the case will likely stall before reaching a grand jury, and even if it proceeds, Smith is expected to file a dismissal motion citing vindictive prosecution. She also points out that Trump has repeatedly called for Smith’s prosecution and celebrated Jordan’s referral, suggesting a focus on the spectacle rather than substantive legal results. The broader pattern, according to Honig, mirrors other DOJ cases that she expects will collapse, leaving Trump and his supporters unfazed by the failures.