A federal judge in Florida has scheduled a trial date for former President Donald Trump in a case charging him with illegally retaining hundreds of classified documents. The trial date is set for May 20, 2024, as determined by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon. This date serves as a compromise between the prosecution’s request for a trial in December and the defense lawyers’ bid to postpone it indefinitely until after the 2024 presidential election.
If the date holds, it would closely follow a separate trial for Trump in New York on numerous state charges related to falsifying business records and an alleged hush money payment to a porn actor. Additionally, the trial would start much later in the presidential nominating calendar and likely after the Republican nominee is determined but before the official nomination at the Republican National Convention.
Judge Cannon wrote that the Justice Department’s proposed schedule for a December trial is unusually accelerated and inconsistent with ensuring a fair trial. She agreed with the defense lawyers that there is an extensive amount of evidence, including classified information, that needs to be thoroughly examined before the trial, leading to her decision to push back the start date. In her written statement, she emphasized that a continuance serves the interests of justice more than a speedy trial.
The Trump campaign issued a statement expressing their view that Judge Cannon’s order is a setback to the Department of Justice’s attempt to deny President Trump a fair legal process. They argue that the extended schedule allows President Trump and his legal team to continue fighting what they perceive as an empty hoax.
It is important to note that Trump may face further trials in the future. He disclosed this week that he received a letter informing him of being a target in a separate Justice Department investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, indicating that charges may be imminent.
Trump Faces Legal Challenges in Multiple Cases
The potential charges against former President Donald Trump have been outlined in a target letter, citing various statutes he could be accused of violating. These include conspiracy to defraud the government. While the person familiar with the matter preferred to remain anonymous, they discussed the private correspondence.
John Lauro, Trump’s new lawyer in the investigation, spoke on Fox News and stated that prosecutors seemed to accuse Trump of obstructing the counting of state electoral votes on January 6, 2021. Lauro also mentioned that they were looking into whether Trump intimidated anyone or was involved in ballot stuffing. However, Lauro emphasized that Trump would not appear before a grand jury because, in his opinion, Trump did nothing wrong.
According to Lauro, Trump believed he was entitled to take the positions he did as the President of the United States. He saw election discrepancies and irregularities and believed it was his duty to address them. Although multiple judges appointed by Trump and even his own attorney general found no evidence of widespread fraud that could have affected the outcome of the election.
In Georgia, prosecutors are planning to make charging decisions soon regarding attempts by Trump and his allies to subvert the vote in that state.
The trial, presided over by Judge Cannon, would be held in a federal courthouse in Fort Pierce. This trial stems from a 38-count indictment filed last month by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. The indictment alleges that Trump willfully kept classified documents, including top secret records, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. It also accuses Trump of conspiring with his valet, Walt Nauta, to hide these documents from investigators who had demanded their return.
Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty to the charges.