Prosecutor Ends Georgia Election Case Against Trump, Others/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Pete Skandalakis, Georgia’s newly assigned prosecutor, has decided not to move forward with the 2020 election interference case against Donald Trump and 14 others. The case was transferred to him after Fani Willis was disqualified due to a conflict of interest. A judge has since formally dismissed the charges in full.
Georgia Election Case Quick Looks
- New prosecutor Pete Skandalakis drops the high-profile case
- Case originally filed by Fani Willis, who was disqualified
- Dismissal order issued by Judge Scott McAfee
- 14 others including Giuliani, Meadows also impacted
- Skandalakis says no other prosecutor agreed to take the case
- Legal hurdles remained due to Trump’s presidency status
- Georgia Supreme Court declined to reinstate Willis
- Case officially ends with no further indictments
Deep Look
New Georgia Prosecutor Ends Election Interference Case Against Trump and Allies
In a major development with national political implications, the newly appointed prosecutor overseeing the 2020 Georgia election interference case involving former President Donald Trump and multiple associates has announced he will not pursue the charges. Pete Skandalakis, executive director of the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia, formally filed a statement on Wednesday confirming his decision to abandon the case.
This turn of events comes after a months-long legal back-and-forth that began with the disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. Willis had previously spearheaded the case and brought the indictment forward, but her role came under scrutiny after it was revealed she had a romantic relationship with the special prosecutor she appointed to lead the investigation. The resulting ethical concerns prompted her removal, which was later upheld by the Georgia Supreme Court in September 2025.
Following the court’s decision, the responsibility to appoint a replacement fell to Skandalakis and the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council. After reaching out to multiple prosecutors across the state, Skandalakis reported that none were willing to accept the politically charged case. With a judicial deadline looming—Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee had set November 14 as the final date to appoint a new lead—Skandalakis opted to take the case himself rather than see it dismissed without review.
However, after further examination, he chose not to proceed.
His decision brought the case to an abrupt end. Judge McAfee responded to Skandalakis’ filing by issuing a concise one-paragraph order, officially dismissing all charges. That dismissal applies not only to Trump but also to the 14 other individuals who had been indicted, including prominent political figures such as former New York City Mayor and Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani, and former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.
While some legal experts had previously noted that a sitting president like Trump would likely have been shielded from immediate prosecution, the charges against others remained active—until now.
The Georgia indictment was considered one of the most significant legal efforts to hold Trump and his allies accountable for attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. Prosecutors had argued that Trump and his co-defendants took part in a coordinated effort to pressure Georgia officials into altering certified election results in his favor.
Despite the initial momentum behind the case, the political and legal complications surrounding it have led to its collapse. Skandalakis’ move effectively ends one of the highest-profile criminal cases against the former president ahead of the 2024 election cycle.
Critics of the decision argue it reflects a broader reluctance among state-level prosecutors to engage with politically volatile cases involving national figures. Supporters say the move was necessary to preserve impartiality and avoid further ethical controversies.
With the dismissal now official, attention turns back to the remaining state and federal investigations and cases facing Trump in other jurisdictions. The Georgia case, once seen as a cornerstone of potential accountability for the events following the 2020 election, is now closed.
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