Florida federal judge Aileen Cannon is currently considering when to hold the trial for former President Donald Trump’s classified documents case. Last year, Judge Cannon set a tentative trial date for May, finding a compromise between the proposed schedules from Trump and prosecutors. However, the trial has been delayed due to delays in the pre-trial phase and the slow pace of the Classified Information Procedures Act process. Trump’s legal team may have an advantage in convincing the judge to further delay the trial because of concerns about conflicts with his other criminal cases in New York and Washington. However, Trump’s legal calendar has shifted since those concerns were expressed, with one case starting on March 25 and another being delayed indefinitely. This means there are no conflicts from May onwards, allowing Cannon to set a new trial start date.
In another hearing, Trump’s lawyers reluctantly proposed trial dates for Trump and two of his associates. They argued that a trial before the 2024 presidential election would be unfair and violate justice department rules. They claimed that prosecutors were trying to rush to trial to influence the election outcome. Trump’s attorneys have consistently sought to delay the trial since he was indicted last year.
Meanwhile, a federal judge in Georgia is hearing closing arguments in a bid by Trump and his co-defendants to disqualify Atlanta-area district attorney Fani Willis from the case against them for alleged conflicts of interest. The Supreme Court recently agreed to consider whether Trump has absolute immunity from prosecution, further delaying his trial for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election.
In other news, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley held a rally in Virginia where she spoke about supporting Ukraine amid its war with Russia. However, a voter attending the rally expressed concerns about Trump’s foreign policy and urged him to condemn Russian President Vladimir Putin. Haley also attacked Trump for deriding NATO and warned that his foreign policy platform could cause war to spread further.
As the legal battles continue, it remains uncertain whether a verdict will be reached in any of Trump’s four criminal cases before the November election. Congressional negotiations on government spending are also taking place, with short-term funding legislation recently passed to prevent a shutdown. Additionally, a transcript of Hunter Biden’s interview with Congress was released, revealing his denial of any involvement from his father in his business dealings. The White House press briefing is scheduled for later in the day.