U.S. District Court Judge Aileen Cannon on Monday barred the release of former special counsel Jack Smith's report on the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case, finding that allowing the report to go public would case "irreparable damage" to President Donald Trump and his co-defendants.

Smith became special counsel in 2022, following the FBI raid on Mar-a-Lago. Then-Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Smith in light of Trump's presidential run. Smith was ultimately unable to secure a conviction.

“There is the matter of manifest injustice to the former defendants that would result from disclosure of Volume II,” she wrote, according to The Hill. “Special Counsel Smith, acting without lawful authority, obtained an indictment in this action and initiated proceedings that resulted in a final order of dismissal of all charges. As a result, the former defendants in this case, like any other defendant in this situation, still enjoy the presumption of innocence held sacrosanct in our constitutional order.”

Her decision follows a previous determination that the appointment of Smith was itself unlawful. Smith's report came in two volumes, one of which became public in 2025.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.