Judge blocks release of Trump classified documents report
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- Florida federal judge permanently bars DOJ from releasing special counsel report on Trump's handling of classified documents.
- Legal groups and watchdogs criticize ruling as limiting public access to sensitive government investigations.
A federal judge in Florida has issued a permanent injunction preventing the Department of Justice from releasing the special counsel’s report on former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents after leaving the White House in 2021.
Judge Allen Cannon, appointed by Trump, delivered the ruling from the US District Court in Fort Pierce, citing concerns over special counsel Jack Smith’s “bold plan” in preparing the report after seizing the documents in July 2024. Cannon called Smith’s appointment “unlawful” and said his actions may have violated the spirit, and possibly the letter, of the judicial order.
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The judge warned that releasing the report, which contains previously unpublished investigative material, could cause “irreparable harm” to Trump and two associates: his aide Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira. Cannon argued that publication would conflict with principles of fairness and justice in legal proceedings.
Smith had previously dropped a separate case concerning Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. That first-volume report was released to the public in January 2025. The second volume, focusing on Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and conspiracy to obstruct government recovery efforts, has never been published, despite historical precedent for public release of special counsel reports.
The ruling comes amid ongoing legal challenges by the watchdog groups American Oversight and the Knight First Amendment Institute, which have sought to compel the DOJ to release the report. Both condemned the decision, describing it as part of a pattern of judicial rulings that shield Trump from public scrutiny and place secrecy above the public’s right to know.
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Chioma Chuku, executive director of American Oversight, said, “By blocking the release of the second volume and denying our request to stay the decision pending appeal, the court ensures the public remains deprived of information of extraordinary national importance.”
Trump’s lawyers argued the report should remain confidential, asserting Smith’s appointment was improper. Attorneys for Nauta and De Oliveira requested all copies be destroyed, a motion the judge denied. The Department of Justice maintained the report should stay sealed, calling it “the product of an unlawful investigation and prosecution and should be consigned to history.”
The decision marks the latest chapter in a long-running legal battle over the special counsel report, which contains sensitive details about Trump and his associates. Further legal developments are expected in the coming weeks over whether the report could eventually be released or remain hidden from public view.
