Lawyers for former President Donald Trump and prosecutors sparred in court on Tuesday over when his landmark criminal trial concerning the mishandling of classified documents should begin, but the judge put off an immediate decision.
Judge Aileen Cannon said she would issue a written order after the nearly two-hour hearing in federal court in Fort Pierce, Florida, where lawyers for Trump pressed for an indefinite delay of a trial date.
Trump’s lawyers say they need more time to prepare for what they describe as a complex case with a huge amount of evidence to review. They also argue the former president can’t get a fair trial ahead of the 2024 election, in which he is seeking to reclaim the White House.
Prosecutors have proposed that the trial begin in December, saying the case is not complex and there’s no need for a lengthy delay.
Prosecutor David Harbach told the judge that Trump’s legal team has repeatedly suggested he should be treated differently because he’s running for president.
It was the first time arguments were held in front of Cannon in the unprecedented federal prosecution of the former president, who is also facing charges in a separate case in New York. Cannon has been under increased scrutiny since a court ruling last year that critics said was unduly favourable to Trump.Trump’s co-defendant, Walt Nauta, attended the hearing, but Trump did not. Cannon also presided over a lawsuit that the Trump team filed last year over the August 2022 FBI search of Mar-a-Lago. Cannon drew criticism and second-guessing from legal experts for granting Trump’s request for a special master to conduct an independent review of the classified documents removed by the FBI from Mar-a-Lago.
