A judge in Georgia has dismissed the 2020 election interference case against President Donald Trump, bringing an end to the final criminal prosecution against him. The decision followed a motion by the new prosecutor who cited the interests of justice and the impracticality of pursuing the case further.
The dismissal was ordered by Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee on Wednesday, November 26, 2025, after prosecutor Peter Skandalakis requested that the case be dropped. Skandalakis, who took over the case following the disqualification of former District Attorney Fani Willis, argued that continuing the prosecution would not serve the citizens of Georgia and would unduly burden the judicial system. In his court filing, he emphasized the need for judicial finality and the extensive resources required for a trial that could span years, noting the impossibility of compelling a sitting president to appear in court.
The case originated from allegations that Trump and his allies conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election in Georgia, where Joe Biden won by a narrow margin of fewer than 12,000 votes. The indictment, filed in August 2023, charged Trump with 13 counts, including violations of Georgia’s racketeering laws, and involved 18 co-defendants such as Rudy Giuliani and Mark Meadows. Key evidence included a recorded phone call in which Trump pressured Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to reverse the outcome, a moment that became central to the investigation.
Skandalakis’s decision to dismiss the case was influenced by several factors, including the timeline and logistical challenges. He noted that as a sitting president, Trump cannot be compelled to appear in court, and any trial would likely be delayed until after his term ends in 2029. Additionally, the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council of Georgia lacks the resources to handle such a complex case, making separate trials for remaining defendants impractical and costly. He also expressed reluctance to criminalize attorneys for providing flawed legal advice to the president under these circumstances.
Trump and his legal team welcomed the dismissal, with his lead attorney Steve Sadow describing it as an end to “political persecution” and “lawfare.” Trump himself celebrated on Truth Social, asserting that “law and justice have prevailed.” The dismissal effectively closes the last of the four criminal cases brought against Trump since he left office, with only one—the New York hush-money case—resulting in a conviction that is under appeal.
The case had faced significant setbacks prior to the dismissal. In 2024, Judge McAfee tossed out two counts against Trump, and later that year, Willis was disqualified due to a romantic relationship with a special prosecutor, which created an appearance of impropriety. These developments raised doubts about the viability of the prosecution, especially after Trump’s reelection in 2024 put the case on hold indefinitely. The Georgia Supreme Court declined to hear Willis’s appeal, leading to Skandalakis’s appointment.
Legal experts expressed mixed reactions to the dismissal. Some, like Anthony Michael Kreis of Georgia State College of Law, were surprised by Skandalakis’s reasoning, which seemed to give Trump and his allies considerable benefit of the doubt despite the evidence. However, others acknowledged the practical difficulties of proceeding with the case under the circumstances, including the financial and manpower constraints faced by the prosecuting agency.
The dismissal has broader implications for the U.S. political landscape, as it removes a major legal threat to Trump and may influence public perception of accountability for election interference. While Skandalakis suggested that such matters are better handled at the federal level, previous federal cases against Trump were dropped after Supreme Court rulings on presidential immunity and his reelection. This outcome underscores the complexities of prosecuting a sitting president and the interplay between law and politics in high-stakes legal battles.
