June 19 (Reuters) – A U.S. judge in Florida ordered former President Donald Trump’s defense lawyers on Monday not to release evidence in the classified documents case to the media or the public, according to a court filing.
US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart’s order also places strict conditions on Trump’s access to the materials.
“The Discovery Materials, together with any information derived from them, will not be released to the public or media, or disseminated to any news or social media platform, without prior notice and consent of the United States or the approval of the Court.” said the order filed on Monday.
It also specified that Trump “will not retain copies” and can only review case materials “under the direct supervision of defense counsel or a member of defense counsel’s staff.”
The order approved a motion filed last week by prosecutors who had asked the court to place conditions on how the defense stores and uses the documents.
Trump, who is he forward for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was indicted on federal charges earlier this month. he was accused of illegally withholding classified government documents after leaving the White House and then conspiring to obstruct a federal investigation into the matter.
Trump has pleaded not guilty in court to all 37 charges.
He defended his handling of the boxes in an interview with Fox News on Monday, saying he had to go through the boxes to remove personal items, including golf shirts, pants and shoes.
“Before I send boxes, I have to get all my stuff out. These boxes were interspersed with all kinds of things,” Trump said. “I was very busy, as you saw.”
Trump repeated his claim that the boxes contained magazine articles, personal items and art. The Justice Department told a court that the boxes contained highly classified documents, including a plan to attack Iran.
The former president faces off other legal obstaclesafter being indicted by New York City prosecutors in connection with an alleged hush money payment to a porn star.
Special counsel Jack Smith, who was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland, is also investigating Trump’s alleged role in actions related to his loss in the 2020 presidential election that culminated in the deadly attack by Trump supporters at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Trump is also being investigated in connection with efforts to change the outcome of the US presidential election in Georgia.
Reporting by Douglas Gillison, Bite Singh and Moira Warburton; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Jonathan Oatis
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