Judge plans to appoint special master in Trump records case

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WASHINGTON — A Florida federal judge on Saturday asked the Justice Department to provide him with more specific information about classified records removed from his Florida estate and said it was his « preliminary intent » to appoint a special master in the case.

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U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s two-page order signals that she is inclined to accede to a request from Trump’s lawyers, who this week requested the appointment of an independent special master to review records excerpted from Mar -a-Lago and identify those who may be protected by executive privilege.

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The judge has scheduled a hearing for Thursday to discuss the matter further. A special master is often a former judge.

Cannon also ordered the Justice Department to file under seal with his more detailed descriptions of the material taken from Trump’s property. Lawyers for the former president have complained that investigators did not release enough information to them about the specific documents that were removed when officers executed a search warrant on August 8 to search for classified documents.

The Special Principal Appointment, if it occurs, is unlikely to significantly affect the direction of the Justice Department’s investigation, although an outside review of the documents may slow the investigation.