Special counsel Jack Smith has filed a motion in court requesting the blocking of multiple FBI interviews and the sealing of the names of potential witnesses in the classified documents case involving former President Donald Trump. The motion comes as a response to a court brief filed by Walt Nauta, a co-defendant in the case, who, along with Trump and Mar-a-Lago manager Carlos de Oliveira, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The case against President Trump involves 40 federal charges related to allegations that he retained classified materials after leaving the White House in 2021 and obstructed officials from returning them to the government. In response to a court brief from Nauta, Smith’s team proposed limiting the release of FBI transcripts to specific pages related to the defense’s exhibits, incorporating proposed redactions by the government.
Furthermore, the special prosecutor is seeking to block grand jury testimony and other FBI interviews entirely from public view. The motion lists more than 20 sets of court documents that need to be sealed, redacted, or completely redacted, citing concerns about witness safety and the inclusion of names of potential witnesses and references to other non-public government witness testimony.
In addition, Smith’s team aims to censor search warrants for Nauta’s phones and the names of the FBI agents involved in the raid on Trump’s home in 2022. The motion indicates a focus on protecting witness safety and maintaining confidentiality.
Recently, Smith argued that Nauta and De Oliveira should not be granted access to classified materials relevant to the case. Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that the special counsel had shown sufficient cause to keep the materials sealed from Nauta and De Oliveira, while Trump would retain access.
President Trump’s lawyers had previously filed a significant motion arguing for the dismissal of the case, asserting presidential immunity. They claimed that the charges related to the classification of documents were tied to an official act made while Trump was in the White House and, therefore, he should be immune from prosecution.
The trial is currently scheduled to begin on May 20, with the judge indicating the possibility of a trial date extension. In addition to the Florida case, Trump faces charges in Atlanta and Washington related to his post-2020 election efforts and state charges in New York in connection with payments during the 2016 presidential campaign. A civil fraud trial in New York recently resulted in a $355 million fine against Trump, which he is appealing.
