US Supreme Court rejects Trump request over seized documents

Justice Department had urged court to keep sensitive documents away from arbiter.

Former US president Donald Trump. Getty / AFP

The US Supreme Court on Thursday denied former president Donald Trump's attempt to have an independent mediator review more than 100 classified documents confiscated by the FBI from his Florida home.

The request was part of his legal battle against federal agents investigating his handling of classified government records.

The court denied Mr Trump's October 4 emergency appeal asking them to lift a federal appeals court's decision.

That ruling prevented the "special master" from reviewing more than 100 documents marked as classified, which were among about 11,000 records seized at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach in August.

Mr Fanone, Mr Hodges, US Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell, and Mr Dunn listen to witness testimony and evidence presented by the January 6 committee. Getty Images / AFP

US Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn had been on the force for 15 years when the January 6 attack took place. EPA

A video of Roger Stone, former adviser to Donald Trump's presidential campaign, is played on a screen during the latest hearings. Getty

Indicted on charges of lying to Congress about what he and then-candidate Mr Trump knew about Russian efforts to discredit Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential campaign, witness tampering and obstruction, Stone had a 40-month prison sentence commuted by the former president. Getty

In an audio recording, former US president Donald Trump asks Brad Raffensperger, Georgia's secretary of state, to find votes to tip the state in his favour. Bloomberg

Text excerpts from a Tom Fitton email to Molly Michael and Dan Scavino are displayed during the hearing. Reuters

Former Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone has been present for all nine of the January 6 hearings. EPA

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the pardoning of Roger Stone, 'an act of staggering corruption'. Reuters

Committee member Congressman Adam Schiff represents the state of California. Reuters

Metropolitan Police Officer Daniel Hodges was crushed by a pro-Trump mob in a tunnel leading to the US Capitol on January 6. EPA

The Committee plays a video of Mr Trump declaring that he won the presidential election. EPA

Mr Trump has to date never conceded that he lost the 2020 presidential election. AFP

Committee chairman Bennie Thompson presides during the public hearing. Reuters

The Supreme Court decision comes two days after the US Justice Department urged it to deny Mr Trump's request and keep the sensitive documents out of the hands of the arbiter.

The court has a 6-3 conservative majority, including two justices appointed by Mr Trump, who left office in January 2021.

Federal officials obtained a court-approved warrant to search his residence after suspecting that not all classified documents in his possession had been returned after his presidency ended.

Investigators searched for evidence of crimes related to unlawfully keeping national defence information and obstructing a federal investigation.

Meanwhile, the January 6th House committee investigating last year’s attack on the US Capitol unanimously voted to subpoena Mr Trump.

The committee is also demanding documents and testimony about his role in the deadly attack.

“He is required to answer for his actions," committee chairman Bennie Thompson said on Thursday. "He is required to answer for those police officers” who put their lives on the line.

“And Trump is required to answer to millions of Americans whose votes he wanted to throw out.”

“So it is our obligation to seek Donald Trump’s testimony."

Agencies contributed to this report.