Explainer: Why is Donald Trump asking the FBI to look into an alleged hate crime against a TV actor?

Jussie Smollett talks to the media before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped on Tuesday Image: Paul Beaty/PA Images Jussie Smollett talks to the media before leaving Cook County Court after his charges were dropped on Tuesday Image: Paul Beaty/PA Images EARLIER THIS WEEK, Chicago prosecutors dropped 16 criminal charges against the actor Jussie Smollett in a move that prompted both surprise and criticism.

For his part, Smollett has maintained his innocence and expressed gratitude to fans who have stood by him, but Trump’s announcement means the investigation isn’t quite finished yet.On 29 January, Smollett – who is black and gay – told police that he was attacked by two men at around 2am on his way home from a sandwich shop.

Reports of the attack elicited condemnation and shock from within the entertainment community and across the US political divide. Then, Chicago police superintendent Eddie Johnson accused Smollett of sending himself the threatening letter and of staging the attack to tap into Americans’ anxieties over racial divisions because he was “dissatisfied with his salary”.

On 8 March, Smollett was indicted by a grand on 16 felony counts over allegations he had lied to police about the attack against him. Jussie Smollett leaves the Leighton Criminal Court building after all charges were dropped in his disorderly conduct case on Tuesday Source: Antonio Perez/PA Images “This has been an incredibly difficult time,” he said. “Honestly, one of the worst in my entire life.”Both Chicago’s police chief and mayor denounced the decision to drop the case and countered Smollett’s insistence of his innocence.“Mr Smollett is still saying that he is innocent, still running down the Chicago Police Department. How dare ?”

But not look into the full Mueller report...more deflection

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