US Judge Permanently Blocks Release of Special Counsel Report on Trump Investigations

A U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, appointed by former President Trump, has permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing special counsel Jack Smith's report on investigations into Trump's alleged mishandling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Cannon ruled that Smith was unlawfully appointed and that releasing the report would cause a "manifest injustice" to Trump and his co-defendants, who maintain their presumption of innocence. The Justice Department had dropped related charges following Trump's 2024 election victory.