A federal judge in Florida on Friday rejected a request to delay former President Donald Trump’s classified documents trial, deeming the request “premature.” However, she did push back other deadlines but maintained the trial date.
U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s ruling means the trial remains scheduled to begin on May 20, 2024, despite efforts by Trump’s legal team to postpone it until after the next presidential election. Trump’s lawyers argued that they needed more time to review the large amount of evidence presented and cited scheduling challenges resulting from other ongoing legal cases against Trump.
The case in Florida accuses Trump of illegally retaining classified documents at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and hiding them from government investigators. Trump has pleaded not guilty and is also facing federal charges in Washington, as well as other criminal prosecutions.
Cannon acknowledged the high volume of classified and unclassified evidence involved in the case and Trump’s upcoming trials in Washington and New York. She pushed back several deadlines but maintained the trial date, indicating that she would consider the defense request again at a scheduling conference next March.
Trump is also facing other legal challenges, including charges in Georgia and a business fraud case in New York. He has denied wrongdoing in all cases, claiming they are politically motivated efforts to prevent him from returning to the White House.
