Jack Smith was born on June 5, 1969, in Clay, a suburb of Syracuse in Central New York. He received an undergraduate degree from the State University of New York at Oneonta before going on to Harvard Law School. His law career began with the Manhattan District Attorney's Office before he moved on to the federal level, also in New York City. Smith remained with the U.S. Justice Department on and off from 1999 to 2018 when he became a chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.
He's also an avid athlete who has participated in more than 100 triathlons around the world, from Canada to Brazil, including at least nine grueling Ironman competitions. The competition consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a 26.2-mile run, according to KCRA.
