Federal Judge Permanently Blocks Release of Special Counsel Jack Smith's Classified Documents Report

Federal Judge Blocks Release of Classified Documents Report

A federal judge in the United States has permanently blocked the public release of Special Counsel Jack Smith's report detailing his investigation into former President Donald Trump's handling of classified documents. U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon issued the ruling on Monday, February 23, 2026, from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida.

Background of the Investigation and Dismissal

Special Counsel Jack Smith was appointed to investigate Trump's retention of classified materials after he left the White House in 2021. In 2023, Smith charged Trump with 40 counts related to illegally retaining classified defense information and obstructing government efforts to retrieve the materials. Two of Trump's personal aides, Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, were also charged alongside him.

However, in July 2024, Judge Cannon dismissed the charges against Trump, ruling that Smith was unlawfully appointed as special counsel and therefore lacked the authority to bring the charges. Following Trump's victory in the 2024 presidential election, the Justice Department dropped its appeal of this dismissal, citing the longstanding policy against prosecuting a sitting president.

Judge's Reasoning for Blocking the Report

Judge Cannon's decision to permanently bar the report's release stems from her finding that it would cause 'manifest injustice' to Trump and his co-defendants. She emphasized that since the case was dismissed and did not result in guilty verdicts, the former defendants 'still enjoy the presumption of innocence held sacrosanct in our constitutional order.'

The judge also cited several other reasons for her ruling, including:

• Potential violations of grand jury secrecy rules.
• Breach of a protective order that remains in effect even after the case's dismissal.
• Concerns regarding attorney-client privilege.

The report in question is the second volume of Smith's final report, specifically focused on the classified documents investigation. The first volume, which addressed the investigation into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, was released earlier.

Reactions and Implications

Both former President Trump and the Justice Department had opposed the public release of the report. Trump's defense attorney, Kendra Wharton, celebrated the decision, calling Smith's report 'illegal' and stating that 'any and all fruit of Smith's poisonous tree should be treated accordingly and should never see the light of day.'

Conversely, First Amendment advocacy groups and media outlets, including the Knight First Amendment Institute and American Oversight, had actively pushed for the report's release, arguing for the public's right to know. These groups had previously appealed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit to compel Judge Cannon to rule on their motions to intervene. Chioma Chukwu, executive director of American Oversight, stated that Cannon's ruling 'continues a troubling pattern of decisions that shield the president from public scrutiny and place secrecy above the public's right to know.'

The ruling ensures that substantial information about one of the criminal cases Trump faced will not be disclosed to the public, marking another significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding the former president.