AG defends special counsel in Trump case

US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday defended special counsel Jack Smith for filing criminal charges against former president Donald Trump, who has accused Smith and the Justice Department of political bias.

It marked the first time Garland publicly discussed Trump's indictment on 37 counts related to his alleged mishandling of classified records that were stored at his Florida resort Mar-a-Lago after he left office.

Trump pleaded not guilty at a Miami federal courthouse Tuesday.

Hours before he appeared in court, Trump on Truth Social called Smith a "thug" and a "Trump Hater" and repeated his claims that the case against him is politically motivated.

In his speech Tuesday evening at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club after his arraignment, Trump kept up his attack on Smith, calling him a "deranged lunatic" and a "raging and uncontrolled Trump hater". He also accused Smith of "doing political hit jobs".

Garland said "Smith is a veteran career prosecutor. He has assembled a group of experienced and talented prosecutors and agents who share his commitment to integrity and the rule of law".

"As I said when I appointed Mr. Smith, I did so because it underscores the Justice Department's commitment to both independence and accountability," Garland told reporters at the start of a meeting with US attorneys at the Justice Department.

Garland said Smith, who once led the public integrity unit at the Justice Department, remains in charge of the case against Trump.

Garland said he had adhered to regulations that give Smith broad discretion to make decisions and bring charges. Those rules require Smith to notify the attorney general of significant events, meaning Garland would have been consulted about the indictment and allowed it to proceed.

"These kinds of matters are adjudicated through the judicial system. The Justice Department will be vigilant to ensure that there are no threats of violence or actual violence," Garland said.

When pressed by reporters about his role in the indictment, Garland said it was "completely consistent with the regulations and set forth responsibilities of the attorney general and the special counsel regulations, and I followed those regulations".

Garland declined to answer when a reporter asked why the indictment was the best and appropriate step.

He declined to go into further detail about the prosecution of the former president over his handling of classified documents. "As you know, I can't talk about the particulars of this or any other ongoing criminal matter," he said.

A spokesman for the Smith declined to comment.

On the day the indictment was unsealed last week, Smith emphasized that "we have one set of laws in this country, and they apply to everyone".

"Applying those laws, collecting facts, that's what determines the outcome of an investigation," he added. "Nothing more, nothing less."

Agencies contributed to this story.