Donald Trump on Monday called for a lengthy delay before he goes to trial for allegedly hoarding military secrets at his Mar-a-Lago estate, contending that proceeding while he remains a candidate for president would make it virtually impossible to seat an impartial jury.
The tactic is in keeping with Trump’s typical legal strategy: to drag out matters he’s facing as long as possible while hoping the legal landscape changes. But this time, it’s an effort to stave off a criminal trial that could result in a lengthy prison sentence if he’s convicted — the first ever prosecution of a former president.
One complication the defense lawyers cite is a civil trial set for October in New York involving an effort by New York Attorney General Letitia James to put major restrictions on Trump and his businesses over alleged pervasive fraud. Another is a criminal trial set for Trump in March 2024 on state charges related to payments to porn star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election.
“There is no ongoing threat to national security interests nor any concern regarding continued criminal activity,” the defense team says, possibly alluding to prosecutors’ statements backing lax release conditions for Trump and Nauta.