Investigation Timeline: Probe into President Trump's Management of Confidential Documents by the Special Counsel
The Justice Department's case against former President Donald Trump for the unauthorised possession and handling of classified documents has been dismissed by Judge Aileen Cannon, due to the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith being deemed unconstitutional.
The decision, made during a hearing attended by both Trump and Smith, comes after the Department of Justice moved to drop its appeal of the case against Trump's co-defendants. The dismissal was based on the grounds that Smith was not appointed by the president or confirmed by Congress.
Trump's legal team had previously filed a series of motions to dismiss the case, arguing that it should be dismissed on the grounds of presidential immunity, that Smith's appointment was unlawful, and that Trump should have been able to retain custody of the documents in question due to the Presidential Records Act.
The classified documents case against Trump is not the only legal battle he is facing. In early 2022, the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, seeking classified government documents improperly retained after his presidency. This led to investigations and associated proceedings that have continued throughout 2023 and 2024.
The special counsel's team has been investigating various aspects of the case, including questioning witnesses about a closet and a so-called "hidden room" inside Trump's residence at Mar-a-Lago that the FBI didn't check while searching the estate in August 2022. They have also been investigating a series of threats made online to a potential witness related to the classified documents case.
Despite the dismissal of the case, Smith has indicated that he will appeal the decision to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The court has set a deadline for Smith to file his opening brief on August 27, with Trump's response due around late September, and Smith's reply due in mid-October.
The indictment includes charges of willful retention of national defense information, obstruction of justice, and false statements. The case against Trump's co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, continues, with the special counsel's team withdrawing from their appeal and referring the case to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida.
The trial for Trump's classified documents case is currently scheduled to start on May 20, 2024. The outcome of this trial, and the ongoing appeal, will have significant implications for Trump and the handling of classified information by former presidents.
- The decision to dismiss the Justice Department's case against former President Trump over the unauthorized possession and handling of classified documents was made in a hearing attended by both Trump and special counsel Jack Smith, in light of Smith's appointment being deemed unconstitutional.
- While the case against Trump regarding the classified documents has been dismissed, the special counsel's team is still investigating various aspects of the case, such as unchecked areas in Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and online threats to potential witnesses.
- Despite the dismissal of the case, special counsel Jack Smith has announced his intention to appeal the decision, with the deadline for his opening brief set for August 27, 2023, and Trump's response due around late September.
- Apart from the dismissed classified documents case, Trump is also facing other legal battles, including investigations related to the FBI's search at his Mar-a-Lago estate in early 2022, which led to proceedings that have continued throughout 2023 and 2024.
