#Trump campaign celebrates judge’s ruling on court date for documents case

Former President Trump’s campaign Friday celebrated the judge in his Mar-a-Lago classified documents case setting a trial date for next May, months after the date prosecutors had requested. 

A Trump spokesperson called the new order from Judge Aileen Cannon “a major setback” to the Justice Department’s (DOJ) “crusade to deny President Trump a fair legal process” as the former president faces federal criminal charges on 37 counts in relation to his alleged mishandling of classified documents after his time in office.

“The extensive schedule allows President Trump and his legal team to continue fighting this empty hoax. Crooked Joe Biden is losing and attempting to use his weaponized DOJ against his top political rival–a disgraceful and un-American abuse of power. Crooked Joe will fail and President Trump will win back the White House for the American people,” the Trump spokesperson said.

Cannon rejected the Trump team’s attempt to indefinitely delay the proceedings until after the 2024 presidential election, in which the former president is a candidate, but compromised with prosecutors’ request for a December trial by setting the date for May 20, 2024. 

The judge argued that the DOJ’s request for a Dec. 11 trial date was “atypically accelerated and inconsistent with ensuring a fair trial.”

It’s possible that the May date will be pushed back even further as the parties file various motions in the matter, which could in turn spur more requests from the Trump team to delay the trial as it draws closer to the 2024 presidential election in November.

Trump was charged with 37 counts, including for violations of the Espionage Act and obstruction of justice, in the investigation into his handling of classified materials led by DOJ special counsel Jack Smith.

Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges last month and has argued that the case against him is politically motivated as he tries for another presidential term after losing his 2020 reelection bid to President Biden, who is also running for reelection in 2024.