US resists calls by Trump to postpone trial in classified documents case

WASHINGTON - US Special Counsel Jack Smith on Thursday (July 13) urged the federal judge presiding over the prosecution of Donald Trump for his retention of classified records to deny the former president's request to postpone his criminal trial.

In a court filing, prosecutors from Smith's office renewed their request for US District Judge Aileen Cannon to schedule Trump's trial for Dec 11, telling her "there is no basis in law or fact" to delay.

"The court should reject defendants’ invitation to defer consideration of a trial date, and should set jury selection to begin on Dec 11, 2023," they wrote.

Trump, front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, pleaded not guilty in federal court on June 13 in Miami to charges that he had unlawfully kept classified documents when he left office in 2021 and tried to obstruct justice when the federal government sought to retrieve them.

He is charged alongside his aide, Walt Nauta.

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In a joint filing with Nauta on Monday, lawyers for both men asked Cannon to postpone their criminal trial.

"President Trump is running for President of the United States and is currently the likely Republican Party nominee. This undertaking requires a tremendous amount of time and energy, and that effort will continue until the election on November 5, 2024," they wrote.

Cannon initially set the trial for Aug 14 - a date that both sides oppose because they say they will need more time to prepare. Smith's team has sought to delay until Dec 11.

Federal prosecutors and attorneys for Trump and Nauta are due to appear before Cannon in a Florida federal courthouse on Tuesday to discuss scheduling and other logistical issues.