MIAMI, Fla. – U.S. District Court Judge Aileen M. Cannon has reached a decision in an ongoing dispute over the public identification of government agents in the criminal trial of Donald Trump. The judge ruled on Tuesday that the names and identifying information of FBI agents, Secret Service agents, and other potential witnesses will be kept under seal. However, the substance of their statements can be made public in court filings, as long as the witnesses and other mentioned individuals are not identified.
Special Counsel Jack Smith had been arguing for months to keep the names of the government-agent witnesses confidential. The charges against Trump include mishandling classified documents and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them from his Florida home and private club, Mar-a-Lago.
Judge Cannon initially ruled against Smith’s request, but later agreed to keep the names and identifying information under seal. She also criticized Smith for his poorly made legal arguments and chided him for not offering additional factual support.
Smith had argued that making the information public could lead to harassment and possible intimidation of the witnesses. On the other hand, a coalition of media groups pushed for the information to be made public, citing the intense public interest in the case due to Trump’s status as a former president and the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee.
The issue of redactions in court filings has been a long-standing matter in this case, causing complications in other legal fights that need resolution before the trial can proceed. Last week, Judge Cannon denied Trump’s bid to dismiss the charges based on his claim that the Presidential Records Act barred his prosecution.
The judge has yet to set a trial date for this high-profile case, as well as address other pretrial legal issues. Prosecutors have suggested a possible early July start for the trial, while Trump’s lawyers argue for a start no earlier than August.