Former special counsel Jack Smith forcefully defended his investigations of Donald Trump during a Senate hearing, according to reports from The Associated Press, NBC News and The Washington Post. Republican senators assailed the tactics used by Smith’s team, turning the hearing into a clash over how the investigations were conducted and whether they were justified.

The hearing is trending now because Smith faced lawmakers directly and defended the work at the centre of the Trump probes. The Washington Post’s headline describes him as saying he would not be silenced, while NBC and the AP highlight the criticism from Republicans and his defence of the investigations.

Smith led federal investigations involving Trump. The headlines provided for this explainer do not specify which evidence or investigative decisions were challenged during the hearing, or give a full account of Smith’s responses. They also do not establish what consequences, if any, the hearing may have for related legal matters.

The exchange gives senators a public forum to question the former prosecutor, while Smith can explain his team’s work. The available reporting summaries confirm a heated hearing and competing arguments over investigative conduct. They do not provide enough detail to resolve those disputes or establish that the accusations made by senators were substantiated.