Attorney General Merrick Garland to name special counsel in Trump criminal probe, report says

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland will appoint a special counsel to determine whether criminal charges should be filed against former President Donald Trump in connection with two pending investigations, according to reports Friday.

News of the planned appointment of the special counsel, which was reported by The Wall Street Journal, came three days after Trump announced plans to run for president in 2024. The Republican faces multiple criminal investigations.

NBC News reported that the special counsel, whose name has not been announced, will make decisions for two Department of Justice investigations of Trump.

One is focused on whether Trump broke the law and obstructed justice in connection with his removal of hundreds of documents from the White House, which were shipped to his residence at Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. The other probe is related to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot by a mob of Trump supporters.