# Senate Republicans Fail to Trap Jack Smith

> Senate Republicans get no smoking gun from Jack Smith's testimony.
- Title: Senate Republicans Fail to Trap Jack Smith · Slate Magazine
- Summary: Senate Republicans get no smoking gun from Jack Smith's testimony. Senate Republicans failed to secure evidence against Jack Smith during his hearing…
- Keywords: senate, jack smith, republicans, testimony, third-country deportations, trump administration, college sports bill, Fail, Trap, Jack, Smith, Slate Magazine
- Source: Slate Magazine — https://slate.com/podcasts/political-gabfest/2026/10/politics-why-the-senate-gop-went-after-jack-smith?via=rss
- Published: 2026-10-01T21:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: senate, jack smith, republicans, testimony, third-country deportations, trump administration, college sports bill
## Senate Republicans
Senate Republicans tried to trap Jack Smith during his hearing but got only a gaffe instead of a smoking gun.

> Republicans wanted Jack Smith to give them a smoking gun. They got a gaffe instead.
## Jack Smith Testifies
Jack Smith, the U.S. attorney general, testified before the Senate but faced no perjury accusations from Republicans.

> A senator’s accusation of perjury fell apart during Smith’s testimony.
## Supreme Court Decision
The Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to continue third-country deportations for now.

> Supreme Court Allows Rapid Third-Country Deportations, for Now
## Deportation Impact
Thousands of detainees are hidden by ICE with final removal orders.

> ICE hides locations of thousands of detainees with final removal orders
## College Sports Bill
A bipartisan Senate vote passed a college sports bill that sidesteps whether athletes count as employees.

> The Senate passes the Protect College Sports Act, but the bill’s future is unclear
## Trump Administration
The Trump administration turned the refugee bureau into a $410 million deportation operation.

> Trump turned a refugee bureau into a $410 million deportation operation
## Deportation Crisis
A man was deported to a country he’d never heard of and may never go free.

> He was deported to a country he’d never heard of. He may never go free.
## Next Steps
The Senate’s college sports bill faces uncertainty as it sidesteps athlete employment status.

> The ‘Protect College Sports Act’ Doesn’t Actually Protect College Athletes
## Key takeaway

Senate Republicans failed to secure evidence against Jack Smith during his hearing, allowing the Trump administration to continue third-country deportations.