Court Dismisses Classified Documents Case Against Trump Co-Defendants

The federal appeals court has dismissed the classified documents case against Donald Trump's co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, ending a significant legal challenge that began nearly two years ago. This decision follows the Justice Department's request to drop the charges after Trump's re-election and the appointment of new leadership at the department. Nauta and de Oliveira were initially charged with obstructing the FBI investigation into classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago, with allegations of conspiring to conceal information from the Justice Department. The case was previously dismissed by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who ruled that former Special Counsel Jack Smith was unlawfully appointed. Smith, who led the investigation, resigned before Trump reassumed the presidency. The dismissal marks the conclusion of federal criminal proceedings related to Trump's handling of classified documents, where all parties involved pleaded not guilty.