In a recent court filing, a US judge in Florida issued an order on Monday, instructing defense lawyers representing former President Donald Trump not to release any evidence in the classified documents case to the media or the public. The order, issued by US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, also imposed stringent conditions on Trump's access to the materials.
According to the filed order, the discovery materials and any information derived from them must not be disclosed to the public, news media, or disseminated on any news or social media platform without prior notice and consent from the United States or approval from the Court. The order further specified that Trump is prohibited from retaining copies of the documents and may only review the case materials under the direct supervision of Defense Counsel or a member of Defense Counsel's staff.
This order follows a motion filed by prosecutors last week, requesting the court to impose conditions on how the defense handles and utilizes the documents. Trump, who is currently the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was indicted on federal charges earlier this month. The charges against him include the alleged illegal retention of classified government documents after leaving the White House, as well as conspiracy to obstruct a federal probe related to the matter. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all 37 counts in court.
In a recent interview with Fox News, Trump defended his handling of the boxes containing the documents. He stated that he needed to go through the boxes to remove personal items such as golf shirts, pants, and shoes. Trump maintained that the boxes primarily contained magazine articles, personal belongings, and art. However, the Justice Department argued in court that the boxes contained highly classified documents, including a plan to attack Iran.
Apart from the classified documents case, Trump is facing other legal challenges. He has been indicted by New York City prosecutors in connection with an alleged hush-money payment to a porn star. Additionally, Special Counsel Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, is investigating Trump's alleged involvement in actions surrounding his loss in the 2020 presidential election, which culminated in the deadly attack on the US Capitol by his supporters on January 6, 2021. Furthermore, Trump is also under investigation regarding efforts to change the outcome of the US presidential election in Georgia.