A federal judge postponed the trial of former President Trump on charges he hoarded classified documents after leaving the White House. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon ruled that finalizing a trial date without first resolving disputes about classified documents “would be imprudent and inconsistent” with preparations to present the case to a jury, USA Today reports. Cannon had scheduled the trial for May 20. She said she would set a new date that takes into account Trump's right to a fair trial and the public’s right to the fair and efficient administration of justice. Deadlines for written arguments over the classified documents now run to July 22, pushing any trial off for months.
The decision is a victory for Trump, who sought to postpone all four pending criminal cases against him until after the presidential election. Trump contends that the cases represent election interference. Trump is charged with storing hundreds of documents at his Mar-a-Lago resort after leaving the White House and conspiring to hide them from federal authorities. Prosecutors charge he violated the Espionage Act because the documents hold important secrets. Trump contends as president he could do what he wanted with the records. "Let’s just deal with a very disturbing reality here: this whole process in the documents case has simply not been on the up and up," said former Attorney General Eric Holder.