Former President Trump's attempts to postpone his trial regarding classified documents are facing strong pushback from Special Counsel Jack Smith.
The trial for Trump, who is charged with 37 counts pertaining to the mishandling of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago home, is scheduled to start in August, but last month Smith's team proposed a new date in mid-December.
Trump's legal representatives responded by requesting an indefinite delay, saying they need additional time to examine the evidence and that proceeding with this date is "unreasonable."
"The government's request to begin a trial of this magnitude within six months of indictment is unreasonable, telling, and would result in a miscarriage of justice," said the document filed by Chris Kise, one of Trump's lawyers, earlier this week.
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However, on Thursday, Smith’s team dismissed this argument as misleading and asked U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon not to postpone the trial beyond Dec. 11.
The first delay was necessary, according to the Justice Department, because the case involved classified information that needed security clearance in order to be turned over to Trump’s lawyers. Smith’s team claims that they have already turned over significant amounts of documentation.
Additionally, Trump's team has suggested that an unbiased jury cannot be selected before the 2024 election, but prosecutors still argue that none of these arguments justify a delay in the trial.
Ultimately, Judge Cannon will make the final decision.
Additional reporting by The Associated Press.
