On February 24, 2025, the Knight Institute filed a motion to intervene asking Judge Aileen Cannon, who presided over the now-abandoned prosecution of President Trump under the Espionage Act, to release Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report about Trump’s mishandling of classified information at Mar-a-Lago. The public has an extraordinary interest in the report, which concerns allegations of grave criminal conduct by the nation’s highest-ranking official. It's release would shed light on the scope and integrity of the Special Counsel’s investigation and on the character and actions of President Trump.

The Institute’s motion to intervene argues that a redacted copy of the report in the district court’s files should be made public under the First Amendment and common law right of access to judicial records. The motion also asks the court to lift an injunction prohibiting the Department of Justice from releasing the report, which is blocking a Freedom of Information Act request for the report that the Knight Institute filed with DOJ on January 26, 2025.

The district court took no action. On September 30, the Knight Institute filed a mandamus petition with the Eleventh Circuit to compel Judge Cannon to rule on the motion. On November 3, the Eleventh Circuit found that Judge Cannon had unduly delayed ruling on the motion to intervene and ordered her to fully resolve it within 60 days, or by January 2, 2026.

Status: District court ordered to fully resolve Knight Institute’s motion to intervene by January 2, 2026.

Case Information: In re Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, 25-13403 (11th Cir.); United States of America v. Trump, 9:23-cr-80101-AMC (S.D.Fl.).