Watch: Garland Asked Why He Did Not Stop the Special Counsel’s Investigation of Trump

Attorney General Merrick Garland is facing a question about why he did not intervene in the probe of former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents.

NPR’s Carrie Johnson asked Garland on Wednesday about when he learned Special Counsel Jack Smith was moving toward charging Trump.

She added, “And why did you choose not to stop him as was in your power?”

“So, as you know, I can’t talk about the particulars of this or any other ongoing criminal matter. As I said when I appointed Mr. Smith, I did so because it underscores the Justice Department’s commitment to both independence and accountability,” the attorney general responded.

He added, “Mr. 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. Any questions about this matter will have to be answered by their filings in court.”

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Another reporter asked Garland if he could provide a “very clear sense of what exactly your role was in the indictment process.”

“My role has been completely consistent with the regulations that set forth the responsibilities of the attorney general under the special counsel regulations, and I followed those regulations,” he responded.

Garland declined to address why the Justice Department believed indicting Trump was the right decision.

Smith hit Trump with 37 charges