According to a report by ABC cited by Jin Shi, on the 16th local time, the US Federal Court of Appeals approved Special Prosecutor Smith's request to suspend the appeal against US President elect Trump in the case of classified documents. This move is part of Smith's gradual end to the two cases against Trump, as the long-standing policy of the US Department of Justice prohibits incumbent presidents from facing criminal prosecution while in office. Due to Trump's victory in the 2024 US presidential election and his inauguration as President in January 2025, Smith stated that he is requesting a suspension of appeals at this time "to allow the government time to assess this unprecedented situation and determine an appropriate course of action that is in line with the policies of the Department of Justice