Attorney General Merrick Garland has announced plans to release a portion of special counsel Jack Smith's report regarding President-elect Donald Trump’s criminal investigations, while withholding another segment. The Justice Department confirmed that the section detailing Trump's attempts to undermine the 2020 election will be made public, but the part concerning his retention of classified documents will only be accessible to select members of Congress.
This decision was disclosed in an appellate court filing opposing Trump's efforts to block the report's release entirely. Smith's final report was intended to encapsulate his findings on a series of criminal allegations against Trump. However, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who previously dismissed the classified documents case, issued a ruling that has drawn criticism from legal experts who claim she lacked the authority to do so.
Garland's decision to withhold the classified documents volume is based on Smith's recommendation, pending the conclusion of ongoing prosecutions involving two of Trump's codefendants. This delay raises concerns about the likelihood of the second volume ever being released, as it would ultimately require the approval of Trump's attorney general.