On Thursday, U.S. Special Counsel Jack Smith beseeched the presiding federal judge over the case of Donald Trump’s classified records retention to reject the former president’s appeal to postpone his criminal trial.
In a legal document submitted to the court, Smith’s office restated their plea for U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon to set the date for Trump’s trial on Dec. 11, asserting that there is “no basis in law or fact” for a delay.
The prosecutors wrote, “The court should dismiss the defendants’ plea to put off the deliberation of a trial date, and should schedule jury selection to commence on December 11, 2023.”
Trump, who is leading in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, entered a not guilty plea in a federal court in Miami on June 13 to allegations of illegal possession of classified files after his term ended in 2021 and attempted obstruction of justice in response to the federal government’s efforts to recover them.
His aide, Walt Nauta, is also charged in the same case.
On Monday, in a joint document submitted by Nauta and Trump, their legal representatives requested Cannon to delay their criminal trial.
The document stated, “President Trump is in the running for the presidency of the United States and is currently the probable Republican Party nominee. This endeavor demands an immense amount of time and energy, and will persist until the election on November 5, 2024.”
The trial was initially set by Cannon for Aug. 14, a date that both parties have objected to, arguing they will require additional time for preparation. Smith’s team proposed to postpone it until Dec. 11.
Federal prosecutors and attorneys for Trump and Nauta are scheduled to appear before Cannon at a federal courthouse in Florida on Tuesday to discuss the schedule and other logistical details.
