Some of the evidence presented by the United States Department of Justice to justify its raid of Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago could possibly be released as a United States Magistrate Judge, Bruce Reinhart, said he believes "there are portions of the affidavit that could be unsealed.” His comment comes as a reference to the sworn statement laying out the evidence for why there was the probable cause of raiding the resort.

A redacted version of the affidavit under seal has been requested by the DOJ that must be turned in by next week. Many have indicated that the requests of Judge Bruce Reinhart mark a win for media outlets in Florida today to persuade the judge that the public interest in the affidavit outweighs the benefits of keeping it sealed. The DOJ on the other hand has voiced opposition to the release of the affidavit, even if it is in a redacted form.

The head of the DOJ’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, Jay Bratt, said that releasing the affidavit is not in the public interest due to the implications it can cause on the ongoing probe. He said, "There is another public interest at stake and that is the public interest that criminal investigations are able to go forward unimpeded.”

Judge Bruce Reinhart was the judge who approved the search as a piece of the federal investigation into whether Trump removed documents and other materials illegally when he left office. At the face of the investigation is the possible violation of three laws including a part of the Espionage Act.

Multiple lawyers fighting for the release have claimed that the public's right to know and the historic significance of the search outweigh any arguments to keep the records sealed. Charles Tobin, one of the attorneys in question, said, "The public could not have a more compelling interest in ensuring maximum transparency over this event.”

Judge Bruce Reinhart also granted a request to unseal the procedural records tied to the search warrant which includes the cover sheet and the motion to seal the warrant.