Donald Trump classified documents case delayed indefinitely, experts warn of 'unprecedented' situation

Donald Trump is currently facing a jury in his contentious hush money trial involving former porn star Stormy Daniels, but his time in court for illegally keeping classified documents after leaving office stands 'indefinitely' delayed.

On Tuesday (May 7) a judge decided that the Trump classified document case which was scheduled to go to trial on May 20 would not begin on the set date.

Why was the Trump classified documents trial delayed?

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US District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Donald Trump-appointed judge, did not set a new trial date on Tuesday, but scheduled pre-trial hearings to run through July 22, reports Reuters.

As per Reuters, both the prosecution and defence acknowledged that the May 20 date would need to be delayed.

This has greatly reducedthe chances that Trump will face the jury in either of the two federal cases against him before the upcoming US elections scheduled for Nov 5. Notably, Trump is alsofacingcharges for trying to overturn the 2020 election results.

While Trump's lawyers contend that the trial should not start until after the elections, after Judge Cannonordered themto propose a timeline for the case, they suggested an August 12 date. However, Special Counsel Jack Smith, who brought the case against the former president, has proposed a July date.

The federal cases against Trump

Trump faces 40 federal counts accusing him of retaining sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving the presidential office in 2021 and obstructing US government efforts to retrieve them. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

In another federal case, also brought by Special Counsel Smith, Trump faces charges over efforts to overturn the 2020 election results after losing to Democratic candidate, current US President Joe Biden.

As the federal cases face indefinite delay, experts have opined that this poses an "absolutely unprecedented" situation where "a defendant is potentially going to have the power to shut down his own prosecution."

Randall Eliason, a George Washington University law professor and an expert in white-collar criminal cases, told Reuters, "That's an argument for getting the case to trial before the election."

(With inputs from agencies)