Case Dismissed

A Georgia judge has dismissed the sprawling 2020 election interference case against former U.S. President Donald Trump and his allies. The decision, handed down on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee, officially ends the last of four criminal prosecutions targeting Trump for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss to Joe Biden. The dismissal followed a motion filed earlier the same day by prosecutor Peter Skandalakis, who argued that dropping the charges would "serve the interests of justice and promote judicial finality."

Prosecutor's Rationale

Peter Skandalakis, the executive director of the nonpartisan Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia, took over the high-profile case after the disqualification of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. In a detailed 23-page court filing, Skandalakis outlined several reasons for his decision. He noted the impracticality of compelling a sitting president to stand trial in a state court, with Trump's current term not expiring until January 20, 2029. He also argued that the "strongest and most prosecutable case" was more appropriately handled at the federal level, alluding to the now-dropped federal investigation led by former Special Counsel Jack Smith. Skandalakis stated that his agency lacked the resources to pursue the complex racketeering case for what could be another five to ten years.

The Original Charges

The original indictment, brought by a grand jury in August 2023, accused Trump and 18 co-defendants of violating Georgia's Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Prosecutors alleged a wide-ranging conspiracy to unlawfully overturn the state's 2020 election results. A central piece of evidence was a recorded phone call from January 2, 2021, in which Trump urged Georgia's Secretary of State, Brad Raffensperger, to "find 11,780 votes" — the number needed to reverse his loss in the state.

Legal and Procedural Hurdles

The prosecution faced significant setbacks long before its dismissal. The case was derailed for months by revelations of a romantic relationship between District Attorney Fani Willis and Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she had hired. In December 2024, a Georgia appeals court ruled that this relationship created an "appearance of impropriety" and disqualified Willis and her office from the case. The Georgia Supreme Court later declined to review this decision, cementing her removal. The Prosecuting Attorneys' Council of Georgia was then tasked with finding a replacement. After other prosecutors declined, Skandalakis appointed himself on November 14, 2025, to manage the case.

Reactions and Global Context

Donald Trump celebrated the dismissal on social media, stating that "LAW and JUSTICE have prevailed in the Great State of Georgia." His lawyer, Steve Sadow, called the decision the end of a "political persecution" and praised Skandalakis as a "fair and impartial prosecutor." The dismissal marks the conclusion of a series of legal challenges against Trump that have largely dissolved since his re-election. Federal cases related to the 2020 election and the handling of classified documents were also dropped, citing longstanding Justice Department policy against indicting a sitting president. For observers in Kenya and across East Africa, the outcome of the Georgia case offers a significant case study in the functioning of democratic institutions and the legal frameworks surrounding heads of state. It raises critical questions about accountability, prosecutorial discretion, and the resilience of the rule of law when faced with profound political challenges, themes that resonate with ongoing governance and constitutional debates within the region.