In a surprising turn of events, the judge overseeing Donald Trump’s classified documents trial has dismissed the case against the former president. Judge Aileen Cannon, who was nominated to the bench by Trump, agreed with his lawyers’ claim that Special Counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unlawful due to the investigation being funded by the Department of Justice.

Smith had charged Trump with mishandling top-secret documents after leaving the White House, accusing him of endangering national security. However, Judge Cannon ruled today that the funding structure of the investigation was problematic. She implied that the special counsel might be able to restructure the office’s funding to address these concerns.

Smith has the option to appeal the decision, leaving open the possibility of future legal proceedings.