Possible rewrite: Florida Judge Hints at Potential Delay in Trump Case

A federal judge in Miami, Florida, has indicated the possibility of postponing former President Donald Trump’s trial in the case regarding his holding of classified files.

In a Wednesday hearing, the judge acknowledged concerns from Trump’s legal team that the current May 20 trial date could conflict with his three other criminal cases in Washington, D.C.; New York; and Georgia.

“I’m having a hard time seeing how this work can be accomplished in this compressed time frame,” said Judge Aileen M. Cannon of the federal district court in South Florida.

She was specifically referring to his trial set to be overseen by Judge Tanya S. Chutkan of the federal district court in D.C. on March 4 over claims that he attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Both the D.C. and Miami cases are being pursued by Department of Justice special counsel John L. Smith’s office. Smith was appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland last year to prosecute them.

Jay Bratt, a member of Smith’s team in the Miami case, argued against the idea that the trial should be delayed.

However, Cannon appeared unconvinced.

“I’m not quite seeing in your position an understanding of these realities,” she stated.

The former president is accused of mishandling classified documents and plotting with two aides to obstruct government efforts to recover hundreds of them at his Mar-a-Lago property after he left the White House.

He has pleaded not guilty.

The three most prominent criminal cases against Trump have proven to be a strain amid his 2024 presidential campaign.

The D.C. trial is scheduled to start just one day before Super Tuesday, and the Miami trial falls less than two months before the Republican National Convention.