Judge Aileen Cannon delivered a stinging blow to Special Counsel Jack Smith’s bid for secrecy, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal confrontation.

In the latest twist in the legal saga surrounding former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case, Judge Cannon didn’t mince words as she criticized Smith’s extensive plea for confidentiality over FBI interviews. The dispute reached a boiling point as Judge Cannon, a Trump appointee presiding over the case, openly challenged Smith’s “sweeping request” to conceal crucial investigation details.

“The Court is satisfied that the Special Counsel has made an adequate showing on this issue under Rule 16, at least at this juncture pending final trial preparations,” according to the court document reviewed by the Daily Caller. “The Court directs the Special Counsel … to file under seal an index containing the name of each potential government witness and a corresponding pseudonym/anonymization for use in the redactions of Defendants’ MTC.”

The judge’s decision to release Walt Nauta’s voluntary FBI interview from 2022, just before a pivotal hearing on defense motions, marked a significant development. Nauta, Trump’s former personal assistant, along with Carlos De Oliveira, a Mar-a-Lago maintenance worker, are accused of conspiring to obstruct justice by allegedly tampering with sensitive materials.

Special Counsel Smith had expressed concerns about disclosing FBI witness names, citing potential intimidation from Trump supporters. Despite partial concessions to anonymize identities, Judge Cannon firmly rejected broader censorship requests, emphasizing the public’s right to access crucial materials.

Observers note that delays in the trial’s start, coupled with Cannon’s insistence on full document disclosure, have compounded Smith’s challenges. Concerns loom that a conviction might not materialize until after Election Day, a scenario Trump could exploit if re-elected. Trump and his co-defendants maintain their innocence, with a former Mar-a-Lago staffer admitting to unwittingly assisting in moving and storing classified documents.