In a significant legal victory for former President Donald Trump, a Florida judge has dismissed the U.S. Justice Department’s classified documents case against him. This ruling comes just days after an assassination attempt on Trump.
Judge Aileen Cannon granted Trump’s motion to dismiss the federal case, citing that the Justice Department’s appointment of special prosecutor Jack Smith violated the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Trump had pleaded not guilty to several charges regarding his handling of classified documents, including the willful retention of national defense information.
The investigation revealed that dozens of classified files were found at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, including in a shower and a storage room, after he left the White House in 2021. Judge Cannon, in her 93-page order, stated, “The Court is convinced that Special Counsel’s Smith’s prosecution of this action breaches two structural cornerstones of our constitutional scheme—the role of Congress in the appointment of constitutional officers, and the role of Congress in authorizing expenditures by law.”
Trump faced 40 felony counts over his alleged mishandling of classified documents. Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Jack Smith in 2022 to oversee two federal investigations into the former president.
Judge Cannon clarified that her ruling applies only to the classified documents case and not to a separate case overseen by Smith regarding alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Trump’s legal team did not request a dismissal of the latter case.
Previously, Judge Cannon had indefinitely postponed the federal classified documents trial, citing significant questions over trial evidence. Legal experts have debated the strengths and weaknesses of the two federal criminal cases brought by Smith.
On Monday, Judge Cannon ruled that the very existence of special counsels, their appointments, and their funding violate the U.S. Constitution. This decision contrasts with rulings from other U.S. courts on specially appointed prosecutors and draws from theories advanced by some conservative legal scholars, notably Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas.
This decision comes as Republicans gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for the Republican National Convention, where Trump will be officially named the party’s nominee for president later this week.
Smith can appeal Monday’s ruling and request a new judge for the case. Depending on the appeal’s outcome, the losing party could turn to the U.S. Supreme Court. Smith has not yet commented on Judge Cannon’s ruling.
In response to the dismissal, Trump stated on his social media site, “The dismissal of the case should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts. Let us come together to END all Weaponization of our Justice System, and Make America Great Again!”
In May, Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records in a New York hush-money case, with sentencing scheduled for September. He also faces four criminal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy against citizens’ rights, in the 2020 election case. Additionally, Trump and 18 others are accused of conspiring to overturn his narrow defeat in Georgia in the 2020 election. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.
