A Florida judge has indefinitely postponed the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump, which was scheduled to begin on May 20. The judge, Aileen Cannon, who is a Trump appointee, stated in an order on Tuesday afternoon that she has decided to delay setting a new trial date until she resolves the backlog of other issues that have piled up regarding the case.
Special counsel Jack Smith had requested that the trial be rescheduled to begin on July 8, but it seems unlikely that a new date will be determined before late July. This decision has caused some frustration and criticism, as many believe that the case has been moving at a slow pace.
Smith, who is also waiting on a ruling from the Supreme Court regarding presidential immunity, is facing difficulties in his other case against Trump in Washington D.C. where the former president is being charged for attempting to subvert the 2020 election. In addition to this, Trump is also being tried in a third criminal case in Manhattan for falsifying records of a hush money payment to a porn star, as well as facing charges in Georgia for attempting to interfere with the 2020 election results. It has been reported that Trump has been trying to delay all of his criminal cases until after the 2024 election.
NEW: Judge Cannon officially vacates May 20 trial date, says setting a new date with so many outstanding matters would be “imprudent.” pic.twitter.com/A8QwNmuQ6o
— Julie Kelly 🇺🇸 (@julie_kelly2) May 7, 2024
Cannon’s decision to delay setting a trial date for the classified documents case has also raised doubts about whether Trump will ever face trial in this case or in the other case brought by Smith. If these trials continue to be delayed, and Trump wins the 2024 election, he could potentially shut down all of the criminal cases brought against him. This includes the state cases in New York and Georgia, which would also have to be frozen if he were to win.
The judge’s decision has been met with criticism, as many have accused her of taking a slow pace in resolving pretrial matters. The tensions between Smith and Cannon have also been evident over the past few months due to puzzling rulings that have threatened to derail the case. Critics believe that this postponement may further delay the case, which could cause other judges presiding over Trump’s criminal cases to struggle with preparing their own trials this summer or fall.
Four facts:
1. If Trump stole nat’l secrets, he must face justice.
2. Thanks to Judge Cannon, it now seems impossible for a trial to happen before the election.
3. If he’s reelected, he will never face trial.
4. Therefore, Trump must be defeated as a matter of nat’l security
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) May 7, 2024
In her five-page order, Cannon stated that finalizing a trial date at this point would be imprudent and inconsistent with her duty to fully and fairly consider the various pending motions. She also gave herself a window to resolve all of the pretrial motions by late July, which could potentially push the trial date even further back. Many are now questioning whether the judge’s decision to delay setting a trial date has diminished the possibility of Trump ever facing trial in this case.
It is still unclear when Trump’s trial in Washington D.C. will commence, as it is currently on hold while the Supreme Court considers whether or not to declare Trump immune from the charges altogether. This ruling could potentially weaken Smith’s case. Similarly, the trial in Georgia is also facing delays, as Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee has not yet set a start date. Despite these uncertainties, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis has pushed for an August start date.
Judge Cannon proves that only in America can a millionaire-at-birth defendant get to hire his own damn judge. https://t.co/vqRaD5O9FR
— John Fugelsang (@JohnFugelsang) May 7, 2024
Overall, it seems that Trump’s criminal cases are facing more delays and uncertainties. With the judge’s decision to postpone setting a trial date, it is becoming less likely that Trump will ever face trial in this case.
This delay has caused frustration and confusion, as the American public eagerly awaits the outcome of these criminal cases against the former president. As the new trial date for the classified documents case is still uncertain, it may be a while before we see any progress in this matter.
Judge Cannon has postponed Trump’s classified documents trial and didn’t set a new start date.
The Supreme Court is slow walking Trump’s classified documents case, which has delayed his Jan 6 trial.
The federal judiciary is effectively acting like a MAGA campaign arm.
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) May 8, 2024
Donald Trump is a national security danger. And Judge Aileen Cannon is complicit.
— Steven Beschloss (@StevenBeschloss) May 8, 2024
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. https://t.co/lFNcNLd133
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) May 7, 2024
I think that Judge Cannon is intellectually out of her league and is having some weird analysis paralysis because her personal partisanship makes her place Trump’s bizarre arguments (like that nuclear secrets are his personal records) on par with Smith’s *actual* legal…
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) May 8, 2024
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but Judge Cannon should be taken off the classified documents case.
Her deliberate postponing of the trial for an indefinite period of time shows she is 100% biased for trump.
She dishonors the justice system.
cc: 11th Circuit
— BrooklynDad_Defiant!☮️ (@mmpadellan) May 8, 2024
Once again, Judge Aileen Cannon does NOT have magical powers. She can’t just decide to delay a trial forever. If that’s indeed what she’s trying to do with today’s ruling, Jack Smith will get the 11th Circuit to overrule or remove her.
— Palmer Report (@PalmerReport) May 8, 2024
