Garland Says Justice Department Cases Are Not Political and Urges a ‘Speedy Trial’

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland on Thursday defended the Justice Department against accusations that the federal cases against Donald J. Trump, which were brought by a special prosecutor, Jack Smith, were politically motivated.

In an interview with CNN, he said he was concerned about the perception among Republicans that Mr. Trump was being targeted for political reasons. “What we have to do is show by the acts that we take that we’re following the law, that we’re following the facts,” Mr. Garland said.

He also said that he agreed that “public interest requires a speedy trial,” in the case charging Mr. Trump over his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, as Mr. Smith has asserted.

Mr. Trump’s lawyers have pushed for delays, arguing that prosecutors are rushing to go to trial before the 2024 election in order to keep Mr. Trump in court and off the campaign trail. Earlier this week, though, Mr. Trump opted to appear in a New York courtroom on a separate matter, an unrelated civil suit. His campaign has tried to score political points off his legal woes.

Jason Miller, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, was quick to seize on Mr. Garland’s comments, posting on social media: “ELECTION INTERFERENCE!”