Attorney General Merrick Garland has decided to release the portion of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report that covers Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election. This comes despite a ruling from Judge Aileen Cannon, who temporarily blocked the release of the full report.
Garland’s move focuses on the section of the report about Trump’s role in the January 6th Capitol riot and his attempts to subvert the election. He made the decision following advice from Smith’s team to avoid causing any prejudice to the ongoing cases of Trump’s co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, who are involved in a separate case regarding the mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago.
While Judge Cannon blocked the entire report for now, Garland will release only the Jan. 6 section, with the Mar-a-Lago portion still withheld. The decision to release this part was made to ensure the public sees the evidence on Trump’s interference in the election, even if the legal battle surrounding the Mar-a-Lago case continues.
Federal prosecutors made this clear in a court filing, urging the appeals court to reject attempts by Nauta and De Oliveira to prevent the report’s release. They stated that the two men had no legal grounds to block the Jan. 6 section, and the Attorney General has full authority to decide how to handle it.
Trump has spent decades escaping consequences for actions that might have landed others in jail. From financial scandals to alleged misuse of power, his ability to manipulate the legal system continues to shield him. In this case, he and his co-defendants are trying to block the release of Smith’s work entirely.
They initially sought help from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who temporarily blocked the release of the full report. Her ruling was controversial because prosecutors argue she no longer has jurisdiction. Cannon’s earlier decision to dismiss the Mar-a-Lago case by claiming Smith was unlawfully appointed broke decades of legal precedent. That matter is now before the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Trump, unsurprisingly, tried to further delay matters by sending a letter to Garland, demanding Smith’s firing and suggesting the incoming administration should decide on the report’s release.
Prosecutors argue that Nauta and De Oliveira have no legal standing to block the release of the Jan. 6 section of the report since it doesn’t concern them directly. “Defendants Nauta and De Oliveira have no cognizable interest in that volume…nor any plausible theory of Article III standing,” the filing states.
Trump’s strategy has always been to surround himself with loyalists willing to fight legal battles on his behalf, but even this approach faces challenges. Prosecutors noted that the defendants’ request for an emergency remand to Judge Cannon would create unnecessary delays.
While Garland’s decision protects parts of Smith’s findings for now, the Jan. 6 report will shed light on Trump’s attempts to cling to power—a continuation of the pattern that has defined his career. Whether in business or politics, Trump has repeatedly avoided accountability, often at the expense of the rule of law.
