Justice Department Holds Back on Releasing Special Counsel's Report

The U.S. Justice Department has decided not to publicly release Special Counsel Jack Smith's report on Donald Trump's retention of classified records due to ongoing prosecutions of two associates. The report will be shared with congressional members, while efforts continue to prosecute Waltine Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira.

The U.S. Justice Department has announced it will refrain from publicly releasing Special Counsel Jack Smith's report concerning Donald Trump's retention of classified documents, attributing the decision to ongoing legal actions against two Trump associates.

Attorney General Merrick Garland intends to reveal only the segment of the report tied to Trump's alleged attempts to undermine the 2020 presidential election. Simultaneously, the Justice Department is actively pursuing a case against Waltine Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, both ex-Trump aides, regarding these documents.

Efforts to revive the case against the two defendants come as Judge Aileen Cannon temporarily halted the report's release, emphasizing the need to protect their interests while enabling Congress to review the findings.

(With inputs from agencies.)