Judge in Trump classified docs case to keep government witnesses secret
Judge Aileen Cannon said the names of potential witnesses will be redacted, though significant portions of witness statements to investigators may be made public.
The judge overseeing former President Donald Trump's classified documents case handed federal prosecutors a partial victory Tuesday in a monthslong dispute by granting their request to keep the names of government witnesses sealed.
U.S. District Judge Aileen issued the 24-page order in response to special counsel Jack Smith's request to reconsider a previous order that the government said could lead more than two dozen potential government witnesses in the Florida case to be publicly identified.
Under Cannon's new order, potential witnesses’ names will be redacted, though significant parts of witness statements to investigators may be made public.
Cannon said redacting identifiable information would address Smith's safety concerns for potential witnesses, making it unnecessary to grant his "wholesale request to seal non-identifying substantive witness statements."
She also criticized Smith in her order, arguing that his arguments and evidence should have been raised earlier.
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