(CNN)The FBI search of Donald Trump's Florida resort and the removal of classified information raise a compelling need for maximum public disclosure given the involvement of an ex-president who's a likely 2024 candidate.

The Florida magistrate judge overseeing the case implicitly acknowledged this reality with his decision on Thursday to start the process of potentially releasing some of the critical affidavit that the Justice Department used to justify the search at Mar-a-Lago last week.

His move means that the next phase of this dramatic saga will unfold with Justice Department officials, who had vehemently argued for keeping the document under seal, making a case for which details must be kept private. Judge Bruce Reinhart plans to hear more from the DOJ by next Thursday about how extensively investigators will seek to redact the affidavit before any public release.

The Mar-a-Lago affidavit is fated to become one of the most scrutinized documents in modern American politics, possibly taking its place alongside the Pentagon Papers and President Richard Nixon's tapes as an artifact that helps define an iconic controversy and the legacy of a dramatic Washington moment.

Thursday's hearing is sure to fuel a week of speculation as lawyers and media pundits puzzle over the fascinating possibilities of what the affidavit contains and the implications for Trump's legal exposure and likely 2024 presidential bid.

"It was very surprising and I think that he is feeling the pressure...

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