A Florida judge appointed by Donald Trump has dismissed the former president’s criminal prosecution for mishandling classified documents, ruling that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unlawful.
This decision marks a significant victory for Trump, who faced accusations of compromising national security by retaining top-secret materials after leaving the White House.
Judge Aileen Cannon issued her ruling following a request from Trump’s legal team to pause proceedings. They sought time to evaluate a Supreme Court decision that grants former presidents broad immunity from prosecution.
“Former President Trump’s Motion to Dismiss Indictment Based on the Unlawful Appointment and Funding of Special Counsel Jack Smith is GRANTED,” Judge Cannon stated in her order.
“The Superseding Indictment is DISMISSED because Special Counsel Smith’s appointment violates the Appointments Clause of the United States Constitution.”
This development comes as Trump is poised to secure the Republican nomination at the upcoming Republican National Convention, just days after surviving an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
In the Florida case, Trump faced 31 counts of “willful retention of national defense information,” each carrying a potential ten-year prison sentence. He was also accused of conspiracy to hinder justice and making false statements.
The indictment alleged that Trump kept sensitive documents, including Pentagon and CIA records, unsecured at his Mar-a-Lago residence and obstructed efforts to recover them.