Trump classified documents trial scheduled for May 2024

Florida District Judge Aileen’s Canyon on Friday set a trial date in the classified documents case against former president trump by May 20, 2024, by a court presentation.

Why it matters: The trial is likely to begin after the Republican candidate in the crowded republican field is crowned, and how the general elections heat up.

• The new date arrives after a shock between the Justice Department and Trump’s legal team over the timing of the trial, with the former president pushing for it to take place after the 2024 election.
• Special counsel Jack Smith sought a trial date for mid-December.

Driving the news: Jury selection will begin on May 14 and a two-week trial period will begin on May 20, according to the filing.

What they are saying: A Trump spokesman said in a statement that the new trial date is “a major setback for the Justice Department’s crusade to deny President Trump due process.”

• “The lengthy timeline allows President Trump and his legal team to continue fighting this empty hoax,” the spokesperson said.
• A Smith spokesperson declined to comment on the new date, but referred Axios to previous court filings and comments at a hearing earlier this week.

Zoom out: The test date falls after most major racing contests have concluded, including Super Tuesday.

• If Trump, the current favorite in the Republican field, is the eventual Republican nominee, he is likely to make the historic impeachment a centerpiece of his re-election bid.
• Winning the presidency would give him a chance to install sympathetic Justice Department officials, or even try to pardon himself if convicted, Axios’ Alex Thompson formerly reported.

triumph in June was loaded with 37 criminal counts related to his alleged efforts to withhold classified information after he left the White House and obstruction of justice.

• He also faces a number of other legal inquiries while campaigning for president, including investigating his alleged efforts to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power during the 2020 election.
• An indictment in that case, also led by Smith, could be imminentTrump noted on his Truth Social account earlier this week.

Go deeper: Trump’s Shifting Public Defenses in Classified Documents Case

Editor’s Note: This story has been updated with additional details and context.