A federal judge ruled Monday that the dismissal of criminal charges against President Trump over classified records at Mar-a-Lago removes a key obstacle to making records about the investigation public.
U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell determined that Trump’s return to the presidency—along with the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity—effectively shields him from criminal liability. As a result, she said, the FBI can no longer justify withholding records related to the probe under standard secrecy protections.
The decision came in response to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) case brought by journalist Jason Leopold. Howell noted that while the dismissal reduced Trump’s legal exposure, it “ironically” heightened public interest in his conduct. She ordered the FBI to search for relevant documents, coordinate with Leopold on a release timeline, and provide a court update by Feb. 20.
The ruling comes as congressional Democrats and public interest groups push for access to former special counsel Jack Smith’s final report on Trump’s handling of classified documents.
Read the court order here.
