US judge permanently blocks release of report on Trump classified documents case

A US judge, Aileen Cannon, permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing a prosecutor's report on the criminal case against Donald Trump for allegedly retaining classified documents after his presidency. Cannon, a Trump appointee, cited "manifest injustice" as the reason, arguing the report details allegations of criminal wrongdoing in a case that never went to a jury. The case, pursued by Special Counsel Jack Smith, accused Trump of illegally storing national defense documents at Mar-a-Lago and obstructing government retrieval efforts. Cannon had previously dismissed the charges, questioning the legality of Smith's appointment. This order prevents the public disclosure of substantial information related to one of the criminal cases Trump faced.

A federal judge, Aileen Cannon, has permanently blocked the release of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on the investigation into Donald Trump's handling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago. The ruling, issued on Monday, grants Trump's request to keep the report sealed. Smith's team produced the report after investigating Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his retention of classified documents. Judge Cannon, who previously dismissed the case based on her view that Smith's appointment was unlawful, stated that releasing the report would present a "manifest injustice" to Trump and his co-defendants, especially since the indictments were abandoned after Trump's 2024 election win.