‘SETBACK TO DOJ’: Trump Team Applauds Judge’s Timeline In Classified Documents Trial

On Friday afternoon, former President Donald Trump praised Judge Aileen Cannon’s choice to initiate the Department of Justice’s case regarding seized documents in May 2024. This is significantly later than the DOJ’s request for the trial to commence in December 2023.

A spokesperson for Trump said, “Today’s order by Judge Cannon is a major setback to the DOJ’s crusade to deny President Trump a fair legal process.”

“The extensive schedule allows President Trump and his legal team to continue fighting this empty hoax,” the spokesperson further expressed. “Crooked Joe Biden is losing and attempting to use his weaponized DOJ against his top political rival–a disgraceful and un-American abuse of power. Crooked Joe will fail and President Trump will win back the White House for the American people.”

Earlier today, prosecutors and attorneys for Trump reached an agreement with Cannon to see the case begin in May 2024.

Though delays in legal trials can be seen as inconvenient, they offer a range of strategic advantages for the defense. From gathering compelling evidence to formulating a solid defense strategy and leveraging changing circumstances, trial delays empower the defense with essential tools to challenge the prosecution effectively.

Judge Cannon authorized the commencement of the jury trial in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, scheduling it for next May.

Here, the former president faces an array of felony charges. These charges, numbering in dozens, pertain to the supposed mismanagement of classified documents. Prosecutors allege these sensitive materials were illicitly removed from the White House by the former president just prior to his departure.

Trump has maintained his innocence and stressed in public remarks that he declassified all documents in his possession under the Presidential Records Act. His lawyers previously asked for a total pause to the trial while the discovery of evidence continues.

Trump classified documents trial will be six months before 2024 election. pic.twitter.com/1FKJrFUi7Y

— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) July 21, 2023

Special counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the government’s case against Trump, has signaled he intends to prosecute Trump under the 1917 Espionage Act by arguing the documents taken represent threats to national security and contained sensitive information about America’s nuclear arsenal and military readiness.

Trump has called the case another example of “political hit jobs” performed by Smith, who has a history of unsuccessfully prosecuting politicians like former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell whose guilty verdict on bribery charges was later overturned by the Supreme Court.

In addition to the 38 counts against President Trump, Smith has privately hinted that he may bring upwards of 45 additional charges related to the classified documents. Earlier this week, news leaked that the Justice Department, which appointed Smith to the case, may seek to bring yet another indictment against President Trump related to statements and actions surrounding the January 6, 2021 protests at the Capitol and the 2020 election.