Federal investigators are examining online threats aimed at a potential witness in the investigation led by Special Counsel Jack Smith into the mishandling of classified documents by former President Donald Trump, as revealed in a recent court document by Smith’s legal team.
The request for filing certain evidence under seal was made to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the case, in a filing made in a Florida federal court on Wednesday by Smith’s team. They argued that the exhibit, detailing threats made on social media against a potential witness and the ongoing federal investigation into these threats, should be kept confidential to avoid jeopardizing the investigation.
The identity of the witness facing threats has not been disclosed.
This request is part of an ongoing argument over the extent of information redactions in court documents, with Smith’s team arguing for complete sealing of the exhibit to prevent any potential information from reaching the suspect that could compromise the investigation.
Last year, Trump was charged by Smith in Florida for allegedly ignoring a subpoena for classified documents and attempting to obstruct the FBI and his own legal counsel from accessing them. Additionally, Trump faces charges in Washington, D.C., for purported efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Trump has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty in both instances.
The filing also references an incident from October, where Trump was accused of intimidating his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows, via a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, following a report by ABC News. The report shared details from Meadows about Trump’s reaction to the 2020 election fraud claims. Trump’s post was seen as a veiled threat towards Meadows and other potential witnesses, prompting Smith’s team to request a gag order in the case, which Judge Tanya Chutkan has since implemented.