Justice Department and special counsel in talks about how to wind down Trump prosecutions

Washington — The Justice Department and special counsel Jack Smith's office are engaged in active discussions about how to wind down the ongoing federal prosecutions against President-elect Donald Trump, according to two people familiar with the talks.

At the center of the discussions is the Justice Department's longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president and the need to enable a smooth transition to a second term in the White House for Trump, the sources said.

Regulations governing the special counsel dictate that the upper echelons of the Justice Department, including possibly Attorney General Merrick Garland, are to be consulted on major decisions in an investigation overseen by a special counsel. Smith's office declined to comment.