Judge dismisses charges against Trump over classified documents

Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the charges against former U.S. President Donald Trump. The case concerns his retention of classified documents after his presidency ended.

The judge ruled that Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, who brought the charges against Trump, was appointed unlawfully.

Cannon stated in her decision published on Monday that Prosecutor Smith's investigation "violates two structural cornerstones of our constitutional system—the role of Congress in appointing constitutional officers and the role of Congress in approving expenditures by law."

Smith accused Trump of willfully retaining documents containing national defence information. The case was widely regarded as the strongest of the four against Trump.

The White House does not comment on the case, according to CNN. When asked, an official referred reporters to the Department of Justice.

President Joe Biden last addressed the charges against Trump during his Friday rally in Detroit, Michigan.

"He still faces charges of mishandling classified information, which is a crime," Biden said at the time, portraying Trump "as a person unfit for the presidency," reports CNN.

The matter has not yet been commented on by the person in question, Donald Trump. The former president attended the Republican convention in Wisconsin.