Special Poll
Judge Temporarily Halts Release of Special Counsel Report in Trump Cases
U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon has temporarily blocked the Justice Department from releasing special counsel Jack Smith’s report on President-elect Donald Trump’s two criminal cases. The decision was made in response to a request from Trump’s legal team and two co-defendants in the Mar-a-Lago documents case.
The report includes findings from both Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and the election interference case. While Cannon’s jurisdiction over the matter remains unclear—particularly since her earlier dismissal of the case is under appeal—she has ruled that the report cannot be transmitted until three days after the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals issues a decision, unless the appeals court states otherwise.
In her ruling, Cannon stated that the delay would “preserve the status quo” and “prevent irreparable harm.” However, this decision applies broadly to both cases covered in the report, even though Cannon oversaw only the Mar-a-Lago documents case.
Trump’s co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, also filed motions with the 11th Circuit to block the report’s release, while Trump’s legal team has called on Attorney General Merrick Garland to dismiss Smith and leave decisions about the report’s release to a future Trump-appointed attorney general.
The special counsel, Jack Smith, is required under federal regulations to close his investigations with a final report. Trump’s attorneys have described the document as a two-volume report, with one section covering each case. Smith has already moved to dismiss the Mar-a-Lago case against Trump, citing the Justice Department’s policy of not prosecuting a sitting president. However, the cases against Nauta and de Oliveira remain active.
Judge Cannon previously dismissed the entire case against all three men, claiming that Smith’s appointment was unlawful—a decision the Justice Department has appealed. The appeal has been pending for months, and a reversal by the 11th Circuit could reignite the case.
This is not the first time Cannon’s rulings have faced scrutiny. The appeals court has previously overturned several of her decisions, including her appointment of a special master to review documents seized from Trump’s residence. Critics have often described her rulings as favoring Trump in ways that defy legal precedent.
The 11th Circuit’s upcoming decision could determine the fate of the special counsel’s report and shape the future of Trump’s legal battles. Until then, the release of the report remains on hold.