A Florida federal judge has ruled that the final report by special counsel Jack Smith regarding former President Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents and alleged obstruction of justice at Mar-a-Lago will remain sealed, reports Baltimore Chronicle via CNN. This ruling marks a significant victory for Trump, who has consistently sought to prevent the public disclosure of the findings from Smith’s investigation.
Smith had submitted his comprehensive, two-volume report to then-Attorney General Merrick Garland before leaving office in early 2025. The initial volume, which focused on Trump’s alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results, was released prior to Trump’s return to the White House. However, the second volume, covering the classified documents investigation, has remained under seal due to ongoing legal challenges by Trump and his co-defendants.
US District Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by Trump, explained in her 15-page ruling that it is “certainly not customary” for a prosecutor to release extensive case materials after charges are dismissed. She emphasized that there are few precedents for a former special counsel making public a report when criminal charges did not result in a conviction, particularly in cases where the defendants have consistently denied wrongdoing.
Cannon, who had previously determined in 2024 that Smith was improperly serving as special counsel, criticized him for preparing the report, stating that it contravened her prior orders halting the work of his office on the classified documents matter. “The Court need not countenance this brazen stratagem or effectively perpetuate the Special Counsel’s breach of this Court’s own order,” she wrote.
Requests by two of Trump’s former co-defendants to have the report destroyed were denied by Cannon. Meanwhile, public transparency organizations continue to pursue appeals to gain access to Volume II of Smith’s report, maintaining scrutiny over the federal case in South Florida involving Trump and his associates.
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