In a surprising turn of events, the Justice Department has decided to drop its appeal against two of Donald Trump’s former co-defendants in the classified documents investigation. This move effectively ends the case against Walt Nauta, Trump’s longtime valet, and Carlos De Oliveira, a property manager at Mar-a-Lago.

The decision comes after a federal judge tossed out the case last summer, ruling that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional. Smith had charged both men with helping Trump obstruct the investigation into his handling of classified materials after leaving the White House.

Nauta was accused of assisting Trump in hiding boxes of classified documents and lying to investigators. De Oliveira allegedly tried to delete security footage subpoenaed by a grand jury. Both men pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Earlier this month, reports suggested Trump had no plans to pardon Nauta and De Oliveira, as doing so might imply guilt. The Justice Department’s decision to drop the appeal aligns with what the co-defendants had been pushing for.

This marks one of the final steps in unwinding the criminal cases tied to Trump. The charges against Trump himself were dropped after he became president-elect in 2020.

The case has been a focal point in the broader debate over the authority of special counsels and the handling of classified documents. With this latest development, the chapter on these charges appears to be closing.