Judge Rejects Jack Smith’s Plea, Allowing Trump Co-Defendant to Submit FBI Transcript in Classified Docs Case

The transcript is FBI interview with Trump’s valet Walt Nauta who is charged for allegedly mishandling classified documents stored at Mar-a-Lago estate.

Special counsel Jack Smith in Washington on Aug. 1, 2023. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

A federal judge has allowed a Trump co-defendant in the classified documents case to file a redacted FBI interview transcript with his motion to dismiss, in a blow for special counsel Jack Smith.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon said in a paperless order on Wednesday there were “even stronger” reasons to deny Mr. Smith’s “sweeping” request to overcome the public’s “common-law interest in access to these materials.”