Judge Orders FBI to Release Records on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Investigation

The ruling follows the Supreme Court’s presidential immunity decision, which nullified key arguments for withholding the documents.

Federal Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the FBI must release records related to its Mar-a-Lago classified documents probe following a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.
The decision comes after the Supreme Court’s ruling granting broad presidential immunity, which effectively ended criminal proceedings against Donald Trump.
The FBI previously withheld the records citing Exemption 7(A), which protects ongoing investigations, but the judge ruled this no longer applies due to the lack of pending enforcement actions.
The FOIA request includes information on classified documents allegedly taken to Mar-a-Lago and reports of White House records being destroyed during Trump’s presidency.
The FBI and involved parties have been directed to submit a joint status report by February 20, proposing a timeline for the release of the records.