Judge Aileen Cannon ruling accidentally trips up Trump's revenge probe

An order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon is now creating problems for one of President Donald Trump's top priorities at the Justice Department.

CNN reported that current and former FBI agents who worked on the Mar-a-Lago classified documents case filed a request with Cannon on Thursday asking whether they are allowed to testify before a grand jury, or even talk with their own lawyers.

The agents have been subpoenaed by a South Florida grand jury examining whether federal officials who pursued criminal cases against Trump conspired to violate his rights, an effort often referred to as the "grand conspiracy" investigation.

Cannon oversaw the classified documents case against Trump before she dismissed it in 2024. She later blocked the release of special counsel Jack Smith's report on the case, along with related non-public information, and the agents say that order has left them unsure what they can legally reveal.

According to the filing, the agents face a dilemma: If they share information Cannon has barred from disclosure, they could be held in contempt, but if they refuse to provide what the grand jury wants, their lawyers say, they could face legal trouble for that, too.

The filing is the latest complication for a probe already in turmoil. Joe diGenova, the attorney leading the investigation, resigned earlier this month after clashing with senior Justice Department officials over its pace. His exit surprised officials who had expected charges within weeks.

After diGenova left, Acting Deputy Attorney General Trent McCotter and Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General Aakash Singh met in Florida with U.S. Attorney Jason Reding Quiñones and his deputy, Yara Klukas.

According to sources familiar with the matter, the meeting produced few answers.

Quiñones and Klukas will run the investigation for now, with help from Washington. Officials at the meeting agreed that charges in the immediate future were very unlikely, though prosecutors are still pursuing possible cases against individual Trump critics.

Investigators have issued a wide range of subpoenas. Former CIA Director John Brennan has been subpoenaed, according to his lawyers. A former supervisor in the FBI's 2016 Russia investigation recently spoke with investigators after receiving immunity.

The Justice Department did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment.