Federal judge postpones hearing on Trump classified documents indefinitely

(CNN) — Judge Eileen Cannon has indefinitely postponed former President Donald Trump's trial over classified documents in Florida, citing significant issues related to classified evidence that must be resolved before the federal criminal case goes to a jury.

In an order on Tuesday, Cannon canceled the May trial date and did not set a new one. While Trump was in criminal court in New York on Tuesday for his money trial, Cannon's move means no trial dates are currently set for the three other criminal cases against him.

By indefinitely postponing the investigation into Trump's classified documents, Cannon's order brings criminal proceedings closer to the 2024 election… and leaves it until later.

The judge's new deadline specifies all legal disputes Canon must resolve before a jury can hear the case. Cannon said the process will last at least until the end of July this year.

In his order Tuesday, Cannon noted that eight key motions are pending and he has not yet decided. He also reiterated that he believed the allegations of national security mismanagement in the case of “present novel and difficult issues”.

Although all sides agreed the case would not be ready to go before a jury in May, prosecutors still pushed for a July trial date, while Trump and his co-defendants proposed dates in August and September. Trump's lawyers have repeatedly said in court filings that the pre-election investigation was “unfair.”

A new trial delay could put Trump's two federal cases in conflict.

In Washington, special counsel Jack Smith's team has charged him with alleged crimes he committed while he was president to sway the 2020 election results, and the Supreme Court is considering Trump's cases. immunity. The High Court's verdict is expected in July.

Trump is accused of mishandling classified documents in the Florida case and working with two co-defendants, Walt Nauta and Carlos de Oliveira, to obstruct the Justice Department's investigation. All three are innocent.

Cannon said in his new injunction that he was investigating what appeared to be Donald Trump's unlikely request for Biden administration records.

The trial is expected to begin on June 24 and last for 3 days.

Cannon's move marks a major victory for the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, giving Trump and his lawyers a platform to air baseless theories about impeachment, including the allegation that it was politically motivated.

Smith's lawyers have strongly denied allegations of political bias and contested the trial as unnecessary and unfair.

Cannon scheduled a June 21 hearing on Trump's claims that Smith was illegally appointed.

In his request for Biden administration records, Trump argues that he is entitled to a wide range of records from several federal agencies, including President Biden's White House, because those agencies the former president says are part of the impeachment team.

Smith's office responded that Trump's theories were “baseless,” the discovery request was “frivolous,” and defense attorneys' arguments fell well short of the high threshold for conducting this type of investigation.

This article has been updated with additional information