A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to disclose a classified Department of Justice memo justifying the Pentagon’s lethal maritime strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific, overturning key arguments made to keep the document confidential. The ruling, issued in a detailed 66-page opinion, marks a significant legal victory for transparency advocates seeking access to the legal reasoning behind military operations. The decision leaves only one of the administration’s original objections to secrecy still in place, raising questions about how the government will proceed. Legal experts will be watching closely to see whether the memo’s release could impact ongoing debates over executive authority and military conduct.
A federal judge on Wednesday ruled the Trump administration must turn over a Department of Justice (DOJ) memo that legally authorizes the Pentagon’s lethal boat strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific. U.S. District Judge Paul Engelmayer rejected two of the administration’s three arguments to keep the document secret in a 66-page opinion, requiring that the...
