Justice Department Requests December Trial Date for Trump in Classified Documents Case

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On Friday night, the Justice Department made a request to the court to postpone the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump, who is accused of retaining classified documents. The proposed new trial date is set for December.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had initially scheduled the trial to begin on August 14. Trump is facing 37 felony counts, which include allegations of illegally hoarding classified documents and obstructing the efforts of the Justice Department to retrieve them.

The prosecution, led by special counsel Jack Smith’s team, has asked Judge Cannon to reschedule the trial for December 11. They cited the need for a delay due to the involvement of classified information in the case. Additionally, Trump’s legal team is in the process of obtaining security clearances, which further contributes to the necessity of a postponement.

Earlier this week, the Justice Department stated that they have begun sharing relevant evidence with Trump’s legal team. However, in their filing on Friday, they emphasized the importance of allowing ample time for defense counsel to review and analyze the discovery materials. This includes making decisions on potential productions to the government, as well as giving the government sufficient time to review the same.

The Justice Department noted that Trump’s lawyers have not expressed any objections to pushing back the trial date. Ultimately, the judge will have the authority to determine the final trial date.

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