The Trump-Appointed Judge Just Permanently Sealed Jack Smith's Report - Decoding The Rhetoric

[Rhiannon12866]

The report was supposed to be released tomorrow.

Special Counsel Jack Smith’s Volume II findings on Donald Trump’s classified documents case were scheduled for publication on February 24, 2026. Instead, on February 23, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon permanently blocked its release.

Cannon — a Trump appointee — is the same judge who dismissed all 40 criminal counts in the classified documents case in July 2024, ruling that Smith was unlawfully appointed. Now she has gone further, prohibiting not only Attorney General Pam Bondi, but her successors, from ever releasing the report.

That means the American public will never read what Smith found.

When Special Counsel Robert Hur investigated President Biden’s handling of classified documents in 2024, his full report was released publicly — including politically damaging findings. But when Jack Smith investigated Trump and brought charges, the report is now sealed forever.

In this video, I break down what Judge Cannon ruled, the legal reasoning she used, the watchdog groups that tried to force the report’s release, and what this precedent means for presidential accountability. - 02/23/2026.

[LilElf70]

1. So,,,,,

No accountability, No rule of law, No truth. Sure appears to be total corruption.

APPEAL APPEAL APPEAL!!!!!!

[some_of_us_are_sane]

2. There's GOTTA

BE A WAY AROUND THIS BULLCRAP!

[LetMyPeopleVote]

3. Trump admitted to insiders that Jack Smith had him 'dead to rights': report

trump broke the law and is hoping that Cannon can protect him

Of all the legal problems Donald Trump faced, from accusations of sexual assault to business fraud, he most feared the Florida stolen government documents investigation by special counsel Jack Smith that ended up being dropped when he won re-election.

— Raw Story (@rawstory.com) 2026-02-24T12:50:49Z

https://www.rawstory.com/judge-cannon-jack-smith

Of all the legal problems Donald Trump faced, from accusations of sexual assault to business fraud, he most feared the Florida stolen government documents investigation by special counsel Jack Smith that ended up being dropped when he won re-election.

That is according to “Morning Joe” co-host Jonathan Lemire, who reported on the president’s terror at being convicted during a discussion on U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon's Monday ruling that permanently blocked the Justice Department from releasing Smith’s final report.

With MS NOW legal analyst Lisa Rubin once again saying “all bets” would be off if the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals decides to intervene, Lemire pointed out that Trump knew he was fortunate that his appointee covered up for him.

After noting there was considerable second-guessing going on after Smith elected to pursue the case in Florida, which led to Cannon’s courtroom, Lemire reported, ”Judge Cannon ended up putting a thumb on the scale significantly for Trump down the line. And you're right, Joe [Scarborough], we've talked about it on this show, Trump has privately told people, you know, more or less that he [Smith] was dead to rights on that one.”

“That was the case, the classified documents case that he feared the most,” he added. “And I know there will be second-guessing for all time in terms of the sequencing of those cases. The one in Manhattan went first, got a conviction, but it seemed to many to be the least serious, and we will never know if things had gone quicker or if the order was changed, what would have happened.“