- A federal judge on Wednesday issued an order that places limits on how former President Donald Trump can discuss classified information with his defense attorneys in the criminal case where he is accused of keeping secret documents after leaving the White House.
- The order issued by Judge Eileen Cannon in the US District Court for South Florida upheld the restrictions that prosecutors requested from the office of special counsel Jack Smith over Trump’s objections.
Former US President Donald Trump delivers remarks during an event after he was indicted on charges related to classified documents, at Trump National Golf Club, in Bedminster, New Jersey, US, June 13, 2023.
Amr Al-Faqi | Reuters
federal Judge On Wednesday, former US President Donald Trump issued an order that limits where and how former President Donald Trump can discuss confidential information with his defense attorney in the criminal case where he is accused of keeping secret documents after leaving the White House.
The order issued by Judge Eileen Cannon in the US District Court for South Florida upheld the restrictions that prosecutors requested from the office of special counsel Jack Smith over Trump’s objections.
But Cannon’s order was ambiguous on the question of whether the numerous concessions Trump requested on how classified information is discussed will ultimately be granted in one form or another.
Cannon did not explicitly address Trump’s request to set up a so-called Sensitive Compartmentalized Information Facility, or SCIF, at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, so he could discuss classified information there with his lawyers.
Smith opposed that request, noting, among other things, that Mar-a-Lago was the scene of the alleged crime.
Cannon’s order implied that only a U.S. government-run SCIF would be used by defense to discuss classified information, but he did not explicitly rule out establishing one at Mar-a-Lago in the future.
The judge said a classified information security officer already assigned to the case could authorize the defense to have a venue other than the SCIF to discuss classified information.
“Defense should only discuss confidential information within the SCIF or in an agency
CISO-authorized area,” Cannon wrote.
Smith’s spokesman and Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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