WASHINGTON — A federal judge in Florida said Thursday he is likely to order the release of a key court document behind the search of former President Donald Trump’s home, despite warnings from the Justice Department that its disclosure could “irreparably harm” an ongoing criminal investigation.
The legal fight is over an affidavit, which establishes probable cause in a criminal case, names witnesses to a potential crime and lays out a likely path toward criminal prosecution. Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart ordered the Justice Department to prepare redactions to the affidavit that led to the Aug. 8 search of the former president’s Mar-a-Lago estate by noon Eastern time next Thursday.
While Reinhart said he had not been convinced yet to keep the entire document under seal, the government would have another chance to argue its case on Aug. 25.
