Trial for Trump’s Florida Case on Classified Documents Set for May Next Year

Former President Donald Trump will face trial in May next year, as per the schedule set by a federal judge in Florida, for the alleged illegal possession of hundreds of classified documents.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon decided on the May 20, 2024 trial date this Friday. This date is a middle ground between the prosecutors’ preference for a trial this December and the defense attorneys’ request for a delay until after the 2024 presidential election.

The trial date, if it remains unchanged, would be shortly after a separate New York trial where Trump faces several state charges related to false business records linked to a purported hush money payment to an adult film actor. This would also imply that the trial commences amidst the presidential nominee selection process, likely after the Republican nominee is chosen but before their official nomination at the Republican National Convention.

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In postponing the trial from the original start date of Dec. 11 proposed by the Justice Department, Judge Cannon stated, “the Government’s proposed schedule is atypically accelerated and inconsistent with ensuring a fair trial.” She concurred with the defense’s claim about the sheer volume of evidence, including classified information, requiring review before the trial.

Judge Cannon opined, “The Court finds that the interests of justice served by this continuance outweigh the best interest of the public and Defendants in a speedy trial.”

Trump may have to face additional trials in the coming year. This week he disclosed that he had been informed he was a target of another separate Justice Department investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results, suggesting potential charges could be imminent. Moreover, within a few weeks, prosecutors in Georgia plan to make an announcement regarding charging decisions in an investigation into alleged attempts by Trump and his allies to undermine the vote in that state.

The upcoming trial will take place in a federal courthouse in Fort Pierce, Florida. The charges stem from a 38-count indictment filed last month by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith, which accuses Trump of deliberately keeping classified documents, including top-secret records, at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach and conspiring with his valet, Walt Nauta, to conceal them from investigators.

Both Trump and Nauta have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Contributions to this report were made by Big Big News writers Jill Colvin and Michael R. Sisak in New York.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Trump’s Classified Documents Trial

More about Trump’s Classified Documents Trial

• Details on Trump’s New York trial
• Justice Department’s Investigation into 2020 Election
• Trump’s Legal Battles in Georgia
• Detailed Analysis of the 38-Count Indictment Against Trump
• More About U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon