Trump classified documents trial date set for Aug. 14

A Florida federal judge on Tuesday scheduled the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump for his alleged illegal retention of classified government documents to begin Aug. 14.

But experts do not expect the trial to begin nearly so early, given the time needed to resolve complicated legal issues before a jury starts hearing testimony and being presented with evidence.

Trump, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, was indicted earlier this month on more than three dozen criminal charges related to his keeping hundreds of classified records after he left the White House in January 2021.

He has pleaded not guilty in the case.

In her order Tuesday, Judge Aileen Cannon told Department of Justice prosecutors and lawyers for Trump to file all pre-trial motions by July 24.

On Monday, a federal magistrate judge issued an order barring Trump’s defense attorneys from releasing evidence they obtain from prosecutors in the case to the media or the public.

In an interview Monday with Fox News, Trump excused his failure to give back government records that were sought for months by officials, saying he had to go through boxes containing those documents to remove personal belongings.

“Before I send boxes over, I have to take all of my things out. These boxes were interspersed with all sorts of things,” Trump said in that interview.

“I was very busy, as you’ve sort of seen,” he said.